TMI

TMI, otherwise known as too much information, seems to be the rule now rather than the exception. In my grand dads day people kept their personal information "close to their vest" or "under their hats" (note it was during his time when such expressions became popular--not so subtle reminders during World War II that "loose lips sink ships" and so on). 

Back then your personal information was personal--the only person who knew your financial information was your banker (and even then he probably didn't know everything about your finances as it wasn't uncommon for people to hide some of their money rather than place it all with the bankers), the only person who knew about your health was your doctor, and the only person who knew about your history--both lustrious and illustrious, unless one was particularly fond of digging through old news papers--may have been only your closest relatives.

These days your information, good, bad, indifferent, scandalous or otherwise, is available to anyone with access to the internet. And that isn't always a good thing. The worse part is that, NSA data mining not withstanding, it is often each person who is consciously or unconsciously providing the majority of this information about themselves to be gathered, mined, parsed, and saved into perpetuity.

    

This is how you are providing vast amounts of data about yourself and how you can stop it:

• Fitbit and other bio-metric devices.  Does the world really need to know how many steps you took last Friday and how well you slept last night?  If you must record such information, do it on a piece of paper.  Otherwise be satisfied that your clothes fit well and you get a bit of sunshine each day.
• Genealogy DNA tests.  While some people think this is one of the best inventions since sliced bread--or Ancestry.com--it also puts your most personal of information (your DNA) out in the cloud and saved for who knows what future uses. Thanks but I would prefer to keep my DNA to myself.
• Your Facebook timeline.  I'm sure many future biographers will be able to collate a compendium of a person's life simply by reviewing someone's Facebook timeline/Instagram timeline/Twitter feed/etc.
• Everything you buy these days.  People use their credit cards and debit cards for nearly everything they purchase--from their morning Starbucks to their bimonthly order of Viagra to the dinner for two purchased when they were supposed to be solo business trip.  In other words, pay cash and get rid of these electronic breadcrumbs that give anyone a trail to follow. 
• And everything you do.  A while back I called a local (legitimate) massage place figuring my aching back and feet could use a bit of attention and they insisted on a credit card number even though I told them I would be paying cash.  I promptly took my business to Chinatown, paid cash for one of the better massages I've ever had, and left no record of my activities.
• Let's not forget about your comment history.  These days everyone has an opinion and there are more than enough online venues to let you express such opinions--reddit, your local newspaper's comment section, etc.  However these comments, even when made anonymously, can still be identified and associated with you for basically ever.
• Finally, your electronics are more likely to allow easy tracking of you and provide reams of information on your thoughts and activities than Orwell could have ever imagined.  Cell phones can be pinged, email can be intercepted, your wi-fi connections and online searches can be tracked right back to you and even your camera can GPS-tag the location where you took the photo.

In this world of information overload, where no personal information is too personal to post online for everyone to see, consider ratcheting back the amount of information you provide.  You never know how it could be used against you in the future.

Another Day, Another School Shooting

It's getting to be pretty ridiculous when a school shooting barely hits the news because such things have become so commonplace.  Just in the past month there have been three (here, here, and here).  While I have no idea how to fix society's woes, I do know that these children shouldn't have access to guns which means that gun laws don't work (obviously) and that, for whatever reason, kids aren't being raised right these days (spoken like a true old person).  Which means that all of us need to take responsibility for our weapons (and keep them out of hands that they don't belong in) and we also need to do a better job raising our kids.  'Nuff said.

This is Why You Need to Walk

I walk and/or hike nearly every day.  Sure there are plenty of other things I could be doing and walking is hardly as brag-worthy as doing a P90x workout or climbing a mountain but it is great exercise and it's as simple as putting on a pair of shoes and walking out the door.  Here are 10 reasons you need to walk every day.  Starting today.

1. It's easy.  You already know how to walk and have been doing it practically since you were born.  There is very little learning curve for this sport.
2. It's convenient.  There is no class time you need to put into your calendar.  You can walk anytime, 24 hours a day.
3. It's inexpensive.  Granted you can deck yourself out in all kinds of fanciness but really all you need is a good pair of shoes.  Compared to greens fees and putters, walking is practically free.
4. It can be as competitive or non-competitive as you like.  Most walkers just walk.  Others rack up the kilometers to staggering heights with the AVA (a guy I know just passed 20,000 kilometers walked. Wow).
5. It can be as social or non-social as you like.  Some people prefer to walk alone, others walk with a neighbor, still others walk with groups (like this or this)
6. The kind of walking you do can range from simple--a two mile jaunt through your neighborhood--to massive (read these trail journals)
7. Externally your bod will look good.  Walking makes your entire core strong and happy.
8. Internally your bod will look good (to your doctor at least).  Walking every single day tends to have a positive impact on such things as diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, anxiety, depression, etc.
9. Have you ever heard of a disaster where they people caught in it don't need to run away?  Whether there is an active shooter or you need to flee from a natural disaster, evacuating usually requires some physical ability and some physical endurance both of which you will have after walking regularly.
10.  You can cut out a number of bills by walking: gym membership, the dog walker, gas for your car (walk to do your errands), doctor's visits, you may even be able to get rid of your car all together if you live in a place that is very walkable and has a good public transportation system for longer distances.

Go. Walk.

Should You Carry a Firearm in the Woods?

This question tends to come up quite often and, depending on who you ask, you are likely to get a number of answers--everything from no never to yes always to yes or no depending on the situation.

Although I have friends who range from those who don't own a firearm, don't want to own a firearm, and would never carry a firearm anywhere to people who are never more than a foot or less away from their firearms AT ALL TIMES, I'm one of those yes or no depending on the situation people.  In almost all cases, the reason I carry a concealed weapon is for threats from two legged animals, not the four legged variety.

When I am in the woods, I am of two minds when it comes to carrying a firearm.  If I will be camping I always bring a firearm with me as there is more of a threat from people coming up to a remote spot in their vehicle.  Also, driving to a spot in the woods allows for me to carry my firearm of choice and ammo (no weight restriction), and there is often a spot or two I can hop out and do a bit of shooting along the way.

On the other hand, when I am hiking or backpacking, I never feel the need to take a firearm with me.  First, the added weight is more of a liability than an asset, and second, I figure that someone who is hunting a person for whatever nefarious purpose (to commit a robbery, etc) isn't going to haul themselves ten miles down a trail to do so (and then have to schlep their ill gotten gains back out on foot).

But what about wild animal attacks?  Having never been the victim of such an attack (knocking on wood), I can say that I use a number of other measures in an attempt to prevent such an event.  I have my trekking poles, a fixed blade knife, and bear spray.  I keep a clean camp and try not to smell like fried bacon as I hike down the trail.  I make plenty of noise (apparently my singing could route a bear at a hundred yards...or so I've been told), and I try to make myself as aware of my surroundings as possible.

Yes, people have been attacked by wildlife and yes, I'm guessing in that moment anyone in their right mind would feel better with a firearm in their hands, but logically, it doesn't make a whole lot of sense to carry a firearm in the minuscule chance that you will need it.  Add to that the minuscule chance that the firearm you are carrying will take care of the threat (a black bear will probably laugh at your choice of firearm since the tiny .380 that fits in your pocket won't get the job done and if a cat wants a swipe at you, you won't even hear it coming until the swipe has been taken...then try to draw...).

As with everything firearms related, it is a personal preference where you need to weight the pros and cons of your decision to carry or not carry.

5 Concerns for This Week

A recap if you will...

1. The flu is on the rise.  The H1N1 flu tends to kill young, healthy people as opposed to the "regular" flu which usually kills the very young, the very old, and the very ill (although there is some of this flu to go around as well).  Consider getting vaccinated.
2. Target and now Neiman Marcus have had huge data breaches in recent months which means your financial information could be in jeopardy.  Consider pulling your free credit reports and straightening out any information in the reports that is incorrect.
3. The recent poisoning of water sources in West Virginia only highlights the problem that could happen to anyone without notice and without recourse besides driving around trying to find bottled water or waiting in huge lines for FEMA water trucks.  Consider storing bottled water and lots of it.
4. The weather has been wacky--ranging from feet of snow in the Northeast to feet of rain in Florida, massive wind storms throughout the south to blustery winter storms in the Pacific Northwest.  Prepare ahead of time for winter weather, of the 100 year storm variety.
5. Marijuana is now legal in Colorado and moving towards that direction in other states.  I don't have an opinion one way or the other on the topic and don't care what people do in the privacy of their own home.  Do NOT however, get high and drive, which is as bad as drinking and driving.

This Is Why You Need to Stockpile Water

Most preppers have a triple redundant backup plan for storing water.  You never know when your well will run dry or a water main will break or some other disaster will befall you and you will be left without water.  What many people don't plan for, however, is that ALL local sources of water will be compromised and they may need to sustain themselves with their stored water for days or weeks as happened today in West Virginia.  If your triple redundant plan is: tap water, stored water in the hot water tank/bath tub, outside water such as from a local stream...you would be a tough spot should the same problem happen to you as in the news article.

What would happen if you wake up tomorrow morning to urgent notices via the news, reverse 911, etc saying DON'T DRINK THE WATER?  Don't bathe in the water, don't water your pets or cattle with the water in your taps or from other local water sources.

Stored bottled water will be your only option as using any water coming into your home through well or municipal lines will be contaminated.  Here's some ideas:

• Store A LOT of bottled water (we only drink bottled water as tap water in Las Veges is just gross) so tend to have cases and cases of the stuff in the garage.
• Consider ways to utilize your stored water in a timely fashion if you can't drink it all yourself (donate it to a local homeless shelter for a tax write off a couple times a year, etc).
• Practice ways to use MUCH LESS water than you do in your normal daily life.
• Don't count on finding bottled water in the stores in the event of an emergency--everyone in town will have the same idea and you will probably find the shelves empty.

So You Want to Fake Your Own Death

I actually don't recommend that a person fake their death.  Sure you may have plenty of problems in your current life but faking your death usually only compounds your problems.  You may get a bit of temporary relief from the problems that sent you over the edge in the first place but those problems will still be there when your scheme unravels...not to mention the additional problem that will result from the aftermath.

So should you want to take your own death, here's some reminders:

• If you are supposed to be dead, you shouldn't be commiting a robbery...
• ...or any other crime
• Consider that a seven-steps-with-pictures "how to fake your death" article probably isn't comprehensive enough to actually get you to your goal
• Although it is a popular topic
• And some more "what not to do's"
• And a few more
• And yet more (popular topic, no?)
• It doesn't even work very well in third world countries
• And it doesn't work well when you are marginally famous
• By "cutting all ties" with your previous life, they mean cut all ties
• Although it isn't technically illegal to fake your own death
• The whole fraud part of faking your own death usually has some severe consequences
• And a list of dumb mistakes people make when they fake their death