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Monday, September 26, 2016

Playin' In The Dirt

This whole, "homesteading" gig is pretty cool.  A TON of work, but very cool.  I get up most mornings knowing I'm going to be physically working my ass off, and I love it.

Right now, I'm in major, "attack the deferred maintenance" list.  The previous home owners, to be blunt, didn't do shit to maintain this property for the past couple of years, at least.  And the way systems and "stuff" were configured, leaves me scratching my head.

For instance, we're in 4-season country.  While not as cold as much of the northern part of the US, our average temperature during the winter is below freezing, and we get into the teens overnight.  We actually have an 18" to 24" frost line, which is a new one for this former Kalifornian!

They installed a sprinkler system for the property - but didn't include a way to winterize the system by blowing out the lines to keep them from freezing over.  To add insult to injury, when the system was installed, they just tee'd it off of the supply line that goes out to the freezeless yard hydrant (these are hydrants that are designed to deliver water to horses/animals during the winter without freezing over).

So, in winter, when I turn off the water for the sprinkler system, I'll also be turning it off for the hydrant.  If I had animals - say, in our horse barn - I'd have to haul the water.

We're looking to add some animals next year, so that will need to be dug up and re-routed next spring.

Done So Far

> Added exterior surveillance system (thanks bro for running the cable)

> Added security system

> Started compost pile

> Cleared 1/4 acre of thorny SOB tumble weeds (1/4 acre to go).  Made a note on the calendar to have county spray next year (previous owners "forgot" to do it this year)

Before



After




> Drilled a half-dozen 3-hole ventilation groups in eves to get air into attic - absolutely NO airflow currently into attic

> Removed pine tree limbs and unknown species limbs from rubbing on roof - really, people?!

>  Pruned 4 of our cottonwood trees of the wild growth on the trunk up to 12 feet.

Before and after





Before and after







And, as you may have guessed from the "after" pictures, I've got a yard full of cottonwood leaves - compost bound....

>  Installed 2, 24 inch risers for septic system access (had to be dug up before each time it was pumped - at a cost of $85 per hole dug)

Before




After




Coming Up

>  Next week - rent a Bobcat, move a yard of gravel from one side of property to another, drag railroad ties piled on one side of property to be used as borders in backyard area, level area for planting beds, lay out first course of planting beds (will be raised beds), scrape final 1/4 acre of tumbleweeds.  Also, hire a tree trimmer to cut back and top a 35 ft cottonwood that is perilously close to back of house.  Terminate a heating duct that was not connected to anything when the previous owners installed a new heater 4 years ago (yes, they'd been warming the crawl space for 4 years).  Get chimney sweep out to clean chimney so we can use the awesome fireplace.

>  Mid-October - (or as soon as cool weather hits the Kalifornia foothills) Harvest and split oak firewood (dried deadwood) from relative's property.  Also, our well system is a bit jiggy.  We commonly get a "wet spot" right at the well head, and have gotten outright pooling one time.  Anyone with ideas, PLEASE CHIME IN. (And, no, the water isn't draining from some other surface area.)  There doesn't seem to be any rhyme or reason when this happens.  Stumped.



>  Late October - have our first legal burn.  Mostly the aforementioned tumble weeds and some tree trimmings.

>  November (or as soon as I can't do stuff outside any more) - get workshop in order (it's just storage now), reorganize prep foods (a total CF after the move), build a Murphy Bed for guests in wife's office

>  January - Prune both apples trees.  Doubt if they've ever been pruned.

>  Early April - if ground not frozen, run sprinkler system out to garden beds.

>  Also on the list - relocate a shed from right in front of our view of the Sierras to side of property (or tear it down and rebuild - which ever is cheaper), re-roof horse barn and turn into storage and saloon (a gamey man-cave of sorts), install new flooring in home (currently 2 different types of tile and the most ugly blue carpet you've ever seen).

Lastly, I've gotten a number of private emails about how I'm doing the "business in California, live in Nevada" gig.  It's working very nicely.  We've been able to hire two new employees and re-jigger the schedule to where me an my business partner have, shall we say, very favorable in-store hours.

When I do have to go in, here's what my commute looks like...

(From my dash-cam.  Sorry for the bug guts on the windshield...)








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Copyright 2016 Bison Risk Management Associates. All rights reserved. Please note that in addition to owning Bison Risk Management, Chief Instructor is also a partner in a precious metals business. You are encouraged to repost this information so long as it is credited to Bison Risk Management Associates. www.BisonRMA.com

Monday, September 5, 2016

What's This Alt-Right Stuff?

So I'm hearing all of this buzz about the "Alt-Right".  A little snip here, a blurb there.  Suddenly, it's everywhere after Hillary goes off on Trump and his ties to the Alt-Right.

I'm thinkin', "If Hillary's soiling her Depends over this, I gotta get me a slice of that!"

So I go to site after site trying to get a clue as to what it is.  When the Tea Party came about, it was pretty clear cut - smaller government, less public spending, less intrusion into our lives by TPTB,

With this Alt Right, it's different.  Some truly were racist-based - spouting white racial supremacy like the NAACP does for blacks, and La Raza does for Latinos.

I'll take a pass, thank you very much.

Racial supremacy ideology is bull shit.  "I'm better than you because of the color of my skin."  Supremacy in life is dependent upon exploiting your natural God-given talents, and applying effort and actions.  

In broad strokes, each race has been given certain innate advantages - be they math, athletics, management, engineering, etc.  To deny this is as foolish as thinking that just because you're of a certain race, you'll be successful at a give task.  Waste those natural talents through lack of effort, and see how well you do in life.

Any-hoooo, I found a site that came thiiiiiisssssss close to getting me to say I was an Alt-Right.  Literally right up to the end.

Here are their criteria -

People Are Different.  Amen to that, brother!  The America I want actually celebrates and encourages that belief.  We all get an equal bite at the apple, but our effort and talents are what separate the wheat from the chaff.

The Left wants us to believe we're all the same, thus we should all have the same outcome in life.  This is Socialism/Communism 101.  We're NOT THE SAME!  Our efforts are what differentiate us.

Our World Is Tribal.  Oh hell yes.  There is a huge difference between when a racial tribe discriminates against another racial tribe simply because of the color of their skin, and when a racial tribe wants to primarily associate with their own tribe.

This tribal association is primal.  You doubt that?  Go to any prison in America and see how the races choose to associate.

Again, the Left wants to force feed racial integration.  How's that working out?  It's not.  People will choose with whom they will associate, government mandates be damned.

Ironically, it is the Left that plays the Identity Politics game - telling each different tribe what they'll do just for that tribe.

Now, for a stir of the racial pot, most races seem to play well with others.  The biggest exception is blacks.  In the big picture, they clash with everyone else.

Why?  Here's something to consider:  Normative Commons.  I'd never heard about it until a few weeks ago, but it's an idea worth considering (the article is long, but well worth your time).
Black males are notoriously prone to violent crime. 6-7% of the population in the US is composed of black males, yet they make up 50% or more of the perpetrators of violent crime, depending on the crime. In 85% of inter-racial violence between whites and blacks, the black is the aggressor.
...
 
Not every black person is a violent criminal and I am not trying to claim that. However, a much larger percentage of the black population is composed of violent criminals than any other racial group. So how should a rational person respond to this undeniable fact?
So, is acknowledging that blacks in general are more prone to violence a racist statement, or is it a recognition of reality?  For me, it's the latter.  Call me a racist if you will, and I'll tell you to pull your head out of your ass.  Now we're even.

Our (the white) Tribe Is Being Suppressed.  Far fetched?  Try starting up the National Association for the Advancement of White People, or the United Caucasian College Fund, or the White Panthers and see how long it takes for you to be labeled as a hate group.  Hell, the phrase, "ALL Lives Matter" got trashed as racist, simply because it included whites.

Kiss my ass.  Now, I don't play identity politics, but I won't be shamed because of my race - I had no choice in the matter!  And as I've noted before, how could anyone be PROUD of their race?  What did they DO to become black, white or brown?  Nothing.  It's nothing more than an excuse of a personal failure when someone has to pull out their Race Card.

If you've been discriminated against because of your race (or gender or whatever), DO SOMETHING and sue the bastard.  Otherwise, stop your whining and shut the hell up.

Men Are Not Women and Women Are Not Men.  I'll now give you reason to call me a sexist in addition to being a racist.

Genetically, and thus historically, men provided primary sustenance and security, and women gave birth to, and nurtured the children, and provided secondary sustenance.  Up until the late 1950's, women weren't prohibited from having a career, and men weren't prohibited from raising the kids, but it wasn't the norm.

Since this change in roles - where everyone works and families (if they exist) don't have as many kids - we've seen a general true economic decline in America.  When I say "true economic decline", I'm talking about the country as a whole.  On the surface, everyone is fat and happy, but it's all funded by debt.  And debt kills.

No?  That big ol' pile of National Debt, if divvied up between all 330 million people in this country, would result in a bill of over $60,000.  Each.  Every man, woman and child.  Cash and credit card payment not accepted - sorry!

As more and more people belly up to the Social Security, Disability, Welfare, et al, bar, AND fewer tax payers are being born to American women, more money must be borrowed and more tax payers must be introduced from outside of the system.

Both political parties understand that the socialist state that is now America can't continue to exist - let alone thrive - if we don't import more bodies.  The problem lies with the standards for admission being lessened or ignored.

It's gotten to the point where if you can steam a mirror, you're allowed in.  The idea of  "assimilation" - becoming American and embracing OUR culture - is racist, nasty and just not discussed in polite company.

It's a joke.  When voting material are required to be printed in a language other than English - and speaking English is a requirement for citizenship - you know you're in trouble.

This was a long way around to the Unintended Consequences punchline.  Everyone working sounds like a great idea.  Like it or not, in practice, it's helped (but is NOT solely responsible) for undercutting The American Way Of Life.

Alt-Righters are pissed.

Freedom Is A Responsibility And Not A Right.  This is HUGE.  Government can't make you free.  In fact, history has shown that it usually attempts to restrict your rights to serve ITS needs.  Your right to benefit fully from your labor, or the guaranteed natural right to protect your life and property, come first to mind.

The Rule Of Law - the idea that all laws are applied equally to all people - is a core concept of American life.  When we see the elites being treated differently, it is incumbent on us take responsibility to change the system, by force if necessary.  Hell, that's how this country was founded (American civics is also a requirement for citizenship - what a joke that is).

See, "Animal Farm" (video, 1+ hour and worth every second) and the phrase of, "Some animals are more equal than others."

If We Must Be A Democratic Society, The Franchise Should Be Limited.  This is perhaps the key concept that has led to the demise of the American way of life.  It was summed up nicely by Benjamin Franklin -
When the people find that they can vote themselves money, that will herald the end of the republic.
In my opinion, the only people that should be able to vote on tax matters are those that would be required to pay the tax.  Anyone who buys stuff should be able to vote on sales taxes.  Car taxes voted on my car owners, property taxes by property owners, income taxes by those that earn income.

If there's not enough money to go around, cut some of the programs that are "going around".

Yeah, I know, racist, sexist and elitist.  Bite me.

"But, but, but Chief!  Think of the children!"  I do.  My children.  Your kids are your responsibility.  People - kids and adults alike - that "fall through the cracks" will be helped by private charities.  They ALWAYS have been.

It's amazing how many people are able to find a job when they don't have a free meal ticket available from government services.

Along these lines, we've got our representatives out there representing us.  We see that all they do is vote to increase our various taxes and levies, and spend, spend, spend.  Think about it:  We give them the power to tax AND to spend.  What the hell is wrong with us?  That's like putting a cocaine addict in charge of production AND distribution.  It won't end well.

I don't know how to even propose it, but my new state of Nevada uses part-time representatives.  They meet every other year for 4 months.

That's it.

Unless there is a special session ordered by the governor or 2/3 of the legislature, if it's not done in 120 days, it ain't gettin' done.

They get a salary for the first 60 days of their session, and get a per diem for every day they are working, including days after the legislative session while they're doing state work.

My state representative is a retired law enforcement officer and business owner.  He happens to live in my new city.  My state senator is a rancher in the "off season" of government.

No full-time, line-your-pockets state legislature.  Quite different from my former home state of Kalifornia, where - much like the federal government - you go in middle class, and come out rich.  Funny how that works, huh?

How do we do this on the federal level?  I know, I know, it's a bigger kettle of fish, but for God's sake, the way we're doing it now just isn't working.  It'll never change, but it could be changed in YOUR state.....

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And then there's this:

Jewish elites are opposed to our entire program.  Ya lost me there, boys.  It sounds like the Race Baiter's from the other side.

If this is a core belief of the Alt-Right, count me out.

And I've got to say, when reading a number of the comments on the article, there was a lot of crap on racial purity.

I'm good with the over all nationalistic message most of these sites support.  It's why they (and I) support Trump's, "Make America Great Again" message.

But when you start with the "keep the races pure" bullshit, you lose me.  I judge you - and choose to associate with you - by your actions, not something over which you have no control, like your race.



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Copyright 2016 Bison Risk Management Associates. All rights reserved. Please note that in addition to owning Bison Risk Management, Chief Instructor is also a partner in a precious metals business. You are encouraged to repost this information so long as it is credited to Bison Risk Management Associates. www.BisonRMA.com