Linux, Bacon & Deadlifts, part 8: Random Observations

It's been a long time since I've made a LBD post, so I thought I'd write one because why not? I got opinions, so let's throw them out there.

1. I've been into strength training for a very long time, and spent most of it thinking that kettlebells were for pussies (with the KB Swing being the exception). I'm not afraid of admitting I was completely wrong about that.

   I've been using kettlebells since last October (2023) and I've never felt better. The KB's "What the Hell Effect"(TM) is real. Don't get me wrong, I still use barbells (they're king when it comes to Deadlifts and Squats), but their effect does not compare to what KB Swings/Cleans/Presses/Snatches and even Front/Rack Squats bring to the table.

   The only area Kettlebells are lacking in is, obviously, maximal strength. Which is why BB Squats and Deadlifts should not be abandoned if you're looking for that.

2. Kettlebells aren't the only thing I've avoided for most of my training life. Protein supplements were the other thing I tended to look down on. My reasoning was that as a survivalist, I didn't want my diet to rely on things that I would not have access to if shit hits the fan, and that I could get all the protein I need from actual food, and lots of milk.

   This reasoning was beyond flawed, of course. If I were to apply this logic to everything, there's a lot more I wouldn't eat. Goodbye Greek yogurt, oatmeal, bananas, oranges... you name it. It's always a good idea to adopt a lifestyle that is sustainable even without the commodities of the modern world, but let's not exaggerate either.

3. About milk. As in, actual cow milk. It's an incredible source of good nutrients, but if you're thinking of doing GOMAD, understand that this should not be done for extended periods of time. Unless getting fat is your goal (milk is known for its protein content, but let's not forget about all the carbs as well).

   Also, ever notice that people who are afraid of hormones in milk are often the same who will gladly accept acid from strangers? (I take no credit for that one, it's from a funny meme I once saw).

4. I never tried NixOS, but like pretty much anyone in the Linux sphere, I heard about it, a lot. Sadly, I was not surprised to learn that weirdos have been trying to wreck the project. I've got lots of opinions about it, none of them being very original, except one.

   This whole situation should serve as a warning: if you create a project you actually care about, do not give other people any control. If they don't like how you run things, it's on them to fork it, not on you to leave it.

5. Speaking of FOSS drama (and let's face it, most drama in general): it usually boils down to insecure people, who didn't get enough attention growing up, having way too much free time and too little brain cells.

   Don't be like that. Life's too short to spend it looking for ways to get mad all the time.

6. Google search has sucked for a very long time. We already knew about the political censorship and the invasion of privacy, but now we can add "its job as a search engine" to the list of things that suck about it.

   If I had begun my Linux/BSD/FOSS journey a week ago, there's absolutely no way I'd have the knowledge I have now considering how useful google search was in my research.

   Luckily, Brave Search exists now, and it's far superior.

7. OpenBSD's ksh implementation is all you need as a shell. There's a lot of fancy interactive shells out there, and one of the thing they all have in common is that their users all swear that *insert shell name* is the best around.

   You rarely, if ever, hear such praises toward OpenBSD's ksh, but as far as I'm concerned, if you're looking for a shell that's fast, efficient, yet rather old school and doesn't try to do too much, it's the best damn shell you can get.

   It's funny, though, because the first few times I used it, its vi mode quirks were a bit annoying, until I got used to them and found myself annoyed when using bash. So I grabbed Ibara's OKSH source, installed it on Debian and now life is beautiful again.

8. And finally, if you're looking for a project that's 100% drama free, look no further than the aforementioned OpenBSD. It's a beacon of sanity in an increasingly insane FOSS world, not just because of its lack of useless drama, but also because of its actually sane design philosophy.

   (Or, you could also look into my own Ragnarok project, you know).