Modern Technology is an illness

Today my sister and brother in law are visiting. It hasn't been but a few hours since they arrived that my brother in law heads to the computer and installs a wireless router. A router, that may cost me extra on my bill, but of course this is of no concern to him since its not his computer. Anyways, my real beef comes from the technological bull crap that is taking this world by storm and becoming a pandemic of garbage.

An example with my beef is that I refuse to become a slave to technology. I refuse the right to be "hooked up" with communication tools that truly just make you lazy. I refuse the right to be like everyone else and to get with the program. I refuse the right to live in a high tech world controlled by machines.

My bro in law is all gaga by his "iphone" and urges me to get one. Bad idea since when he mentioned that, I struggled with the urge of tossing him through a window and since my sister views my blog, sorry sis, but I am not high tech and refuse to be.

A few nights ago, mother and father and myself discussed this crap of how everyone needs to flock to cell phones, computers and what not, and how the people of this world are spoiled to no end. My parents being elderly, never had any of these devices when they were growing up and guess what, they got along just fine associating with people and doing business. A week ago, NPR did a report on how children are growing up not learning how to write their own names, nor learning how to make mistakes because of the stupid "spell check" on computers. This of course teaches children how to be lazy and they grow up expecting to be handed everything on a silver platter. My God, what are these people, children and adult alike, going to do if they ever go without power for more than a few minutes? They will die of communication starvation.

Though I am just steaming full of hate towards technology and the idiots who think such things are a grand item, I can honestly say that this guy, myself, will not ever have another computer. When my desktop goes belly up, I will not burden myself with another bill, nor will I burden myself with having anything technologically enhanced in my 4 walls. For my way of living and my beliefs, I frankly do not need crap to make me lazy or dependent upon a machine.

Now some of you who are reading this may think "I bet he has a cell phone." You are correct. Do I use it? No. Why? Because it's only for traveling purposes and since I live in the middle of the country where there is no cell phone reception, it merely sits and collects dust in my drawer awaiting for a trip someone out of this area.

So, I can proudly say I am not a slave to modern technology and glad for it and wherever I move, some day, will be completely away from modern anything and I'll enjoy life in a lot simpler of ways and be dependent upon myself only. If I want to be lazy, I will choose to be such, but I sure the hell wont be taken by the illness of this plague of technology.

Christmas Vs. Tradtional Christmas

I know I haven't been here lately and my updating truly sucks. However, with all of life, it tends to toss a few things your way that turn into time consuming projects that make on-line time limited. Hopefully with the coming new year these life buggers will leave me alone so I can keep you all updated on homesteading.

Now then, it is that time of year again when the kiddies get all excited and people flock to the stores to BUY presents that supposedly are from the heart. Long ago Christmas was celebrated by families getting together and giving one present each. These presents were something that a person needed, not wanted. It was given from children, from parents, from wives and husbands, sisters and brothers. Each person gave one item, if that. If they didn't have the money to buy, they made it.

Now a days people flock to stores, fight over items, argue all because they don't want to let down a child or family member. It disgusts me that society, the very core of what it preaches on good morals and family upbringing and righteousness, brainwash people into buying, into fighting over things they just don't need, but what people want.

Do I get into Christmas? Not in the way society wants you to. I celebrate it alone for the most part, with my family and don't flock to stores at the last minute. Frankly, I wouldn't be caught dead in stores during this time. When I shop, it's during the summer and what I buy is what people need, not want. I don't buy anything over the price of $30.00 and almost always buy on sale. Do I care if I disappoint someone during the holidays? Heck no. Why? The holidays are about giving, but it's also about love. If someone is disappointed, then there is no love...correct? Then its about selfishness and that by no mean is what Christmas is about.

All these kids who need their toys, their electronics just to fit in, have no idea of the true meaning of Christmas. All these adults who get tools and expensive gear never at any time say to themselves "gee, this must have cost a fortune, I cannot accept it." Why? Because they don't care, plain and simple. At Christmas time it's all about a person, not about anything from the heart, nor about love and this is why I am against Christmas due to what SOCIETY (I hate that word) teaches a person from child years to adult.

So, take this to mind when you buy something...is it something a person NEEDS or is it a WANT? If it's a need, then its a good buy and if you can't afford something, then make something as that item will be cherished more than if you buy something with a warranty.

Merry Christmas to all and to all a Good Night!

Look out, rant...Damn Game Wardens

Look out, I'm on the warpath again. This time its with morons who hide behind a badge and proclaim to be helping the state wildlife.

This weekend was the start of the Wisconsin Gun Deer season. Saturday started off nicely, until around 8:30am, one could hear a good dozen hound dogs sounding off. Here some stupid a** hunter decided to hunt with hounds, than actually do the work of walking through and finding a nice spot to sit and wait for deer to come to him. "great", I thought as the day was going to turn into a sheer nightmare. Having had problems with trespassers last year, I figured things would really get out of hand. But, surprisingly the day went well with no gun shots.

Sunday, today, my neighbor comes to me saying he just got a huge fine from a Game Warden because he had antlers from a buck he and I found Saturday afternoon, hanging from his deer stand. Apparently he was suppose to tag the antlers, even though he never traditionally killed the buck. WTF? Since when must you tag antlers off a buck that is found dead, even though you never shot it? Does this mean that I, as a land owner, cannot take antlers off a dead buck which I have found because it violates some stupid hidden law that should be made aware to the public through the regulations in the first place? Good grief, where was this knucklehead yesterday when the hounds were running rampant? Probably sipping on some coffee "pretending" to actually work.

What is surprising about all this is that there has never been any DNR official on my land in 21 years and he just now shows up! I don't have a problem with a LE doing his job, but come on, $327 fine for untagged antlers is bogus big time and people wonder why I cannot stand the midwest.

The times are to a point where a mans land means nothing, isn't respected at all and is taken advantage of to fill the states pockets. I do have no trespassing signs out for a reason and I understand DNR officals have the right to come onto the land, but geez, respect the mans land and let him do what he wants on it without fining people. What is the sense of having land if the landowner isn't allowed to collect antlers (by the way, my friend is a true friend who had permission to hunt on my acreage), or do what he wants with it, without having to violate some stupid ass, bogus crapped law that isn't even in the regulations? I am a homesteader. I believe that what is mine is mine and people should leave it the hell alone...game official or not!

Barbed wire fence

Well, the time has come to finally get trespassers off my land. So, my huge project for the next few weeks and all of next year is putting up a 1,300 + feet of barbed wire fence just on the south side of the property. Seeing that I have 40 acres to cover, each side is 1,300 + feet, so this means a huge project for one purpose...keeping the low life's who don't have guts enough to ask for permission to hunt, off the damn land. I rarely get irked, but those who don't belong really irk me to no end. At least have the common decency to ask, but don't tread on where your life is put into my hands because I will not be the one or the type to show mercy. The local sheriffs patrol has 4 files of trespassers on record, so really, its in the books and therefore that is all that is needed really. Since they are 2 hours away, I guess I will serve justice until they arrive.

Anyways, I hope to have the south side done by November 21st since this is the start of the gun deer season. I'll be adding more to this in the coming weeks and definitely take photos once one side is done.

Power : Solar or Wind?

I have often been asked what I want to use for power, solar or wind? Many people want to use solar, to harness the sun and reap all that it has to offer. However, most simple minded folks cannot afford solar panels and for some who are not mechanically inclined, that means paying someone to install and in turn this would mean that your privacy issue would go right out the window since someone outside your family, would know your location. Not a wise move.

My reasoning for not using solar comes down to a few issues. First, what happens if there is no sun? In the winter months of Wisconsin, the sky is dark and dreary. Rarely does the sun shine like it does in the winter. If you rely on solar power to feed your home, you'll be in the dark more than in light. Another issue is that plastering solar panels on your roof cast a shine when the sun and moon hit, giving away your home. The last thing I want is to advertise "here I am, come find me!" Another issue is that solar panels attract burglars because anyone who has panels, has cash and other goodies and so you and your house become a target. Again, not something I want. Then there is the case of what happens if one or more panels break from a storm? The price to repair these panels costs a fortune. Since I am not one to waste my cash, I'll stick to a cheaper method of power...wind.

Wind power is wonderful. If you think back to the 1800's and beyond, you will remember seeing or hearing of old windmills generating water. This same method can energize your home without affecting your location. It is also cheaper to build a windmill than it is to invest in solar panels and one windmill can do multiple things like generate power, and water. These devices also don't make you or your home a target as it mimics a farm and are easily repairable if storm damage occurs. Wind blows all the time in the country. From the lightest of gusts to long, drawn out wind blowing in across the fields. Wind also blows at night, therefore giving you 24/7 power. Connect the wind to a generator and you have the perfect setup for off-grid power. Of course you can also connect a solar panel for your hot water heater, but these types of panels don't draw attention, nor cost a heap of cash. AND windmills can be built by anyone and you don't have to call anyone to do it for you. Of course, digging a well and such is hard work, but that is what a homesteader does...work and a little sweat goes a long way in comfort when a project is done.

So, I hope I have covered all the bases as to why I dislike solar power and why wind power is the way to go.

Stocked for winter

Awhile back I took some photos of the wood bin when it was empty. As you can tell in the updated photos, I am stocked big time for the coming cold temps and white stuff that will bombard this area non-stop until after Christmas. Then in January will be the coldest time of the winter season and this follows the snow month in March. The wood bin, now full, will have to be replenished at least one more time before January, but it depends on how the weather is. If it's a warm winter, I will burn less, and if it's cold...yeah I will be like a steam engine chugging out smoke like mad. The thing is, each year the weather is different. Each year is a guessing game and so this makes it difficult to even say for sure how many times I'll be heading to the woodpiles for more fuel.

Autumn peak is here

It is that time of year, when the leaves come out and leave a mess on the ground. I couldn't believe how many leaves were on the ground yesterday 10/11/09. In some places it was ankle deep and it took almost a good 11 hours to clean up. As you can tell from the photos, there are a number of piles seen in the background. The parents do everything the hard way and as one can imagine, that means everything takes longer than initially planned. I tend to be more simple in my approach, where as they tend to be more complicated and you know they and I never see eye to eye on things due to our different dispositions. Anyways, you can tell by the photos how fast climate can change in just a days time. Yesterday it was beautiful, sunny and today it is completely yucky. Though yesterday was a major pain in the you know what, it was well worth it in preparation for the snow today. Where my parents are, they are in a group of trees that have brilliant yellow leaves which are almost all white oak with a little mixture of basswood, elm, and maple.