The Simple Life with Gary Collins

Are you tired of falling for health scam after health scam? As some of you know, I’m a former criminal investigator for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and FDA. I investigated numerous snake oil salesmen during my career… would it surprise a lot of them were in the natural health industry?

This isn’t to say all-natural health practitioners or natural health products are a scam, but you need to be just as aware of getting scammed by them as the modern or Western-based medical industry. Today I sit down with writer Rachel Monroe who was interviewed for a Netflix documentary (Un)Well. It takes a look at some of the more controversial natural health products and practices being used by consumers today.

I (Rachel) grew up in Richmond, Virginia. Since 2012 I've been based in Marfa, Texas where I am a freelance writer, volunteer firefighter, and occasional radio host. I have written about crime, communes, utopias, drones, small towns, firefighters, fires, border issues, haunted houses, and motorcycles, among other things. I was recently a finalist for a Livingston Award for Young Journalists and named as one of 56 women journalists everyone should read by New York Magazine. My essay about murder fandom and adolescence, "Outside the Manson Pinkberry," originally published in The Believer, is anthologized in The Best American Travel Writing 2018.

Rachel Monroe is also a contributing writer at The Atlantic and the author of Savage Appetites: Four True Stories of Women, Crime, and Obsession. 

Her other work’s have appeared in The Best American Travel Writing 2018, The New Yorker, The New York Times, The New York Times Magazine, and elsewhere.

Essential Oils and (Un)Well Topics Discussed:

* How and why was Rachel approached as a contributor for the Netflix documentary (Un)Well* What are essential oils and how are the used* What did Rachel find during the research of her article “How Essential Oils Became The Cure for Our Age of Anxiety”* What are some of the more controversial uses of essential oils* What is a Multi-Level Marketing (MLM) and how do these type of companies operate* Rachel talks about her experience at the Young Living Convention and just how crazy (as in bad) it was* Gary talks about what to look out for when dealing with “too good to be true” natural health claims* Why is the natural health industry filled with charlatans* Why Gary believes in an integrative approach (a mix if modern medicine with natural medicine) when it comes to your health  * Gary and Rachel debate the merits and drawbacks of universal healthcare for all* Gary explains why our entire healthcare system is broke, and that our terrible health and high rate of obesity is exacerbating the problem

Resources and links:

* Rachel’s website: www.rachel-monroe.com* Join the free Simple Life Insider’s Circle: https://thesimplelifenow.com/betterlife* CREDIT: Episode art background image photo by Di...

Do you feel stuck in life, and not sure what to do in this current atmosphere of lockdowns, and what appears to be a hijacking of your personal freedoms?

Today The Lions of Liberty Podcast host Marc Clair drops by. But this isn’t a political episode, this is about taking advantage of your newfound free time. Yes, it may be involuntary free time, but that doesn’t mean you just sit around and do nothing. Marc shares the beginning steps of his journey to living The Simple Life, and using his newfound free time to chase his dreams that he had previously put on hold. 

After being inspired by the 2008 Presidential campaign of Ron Paul, Marc co-founded the Lions of Liberty brand and website with three of his fellow Penn State alumni. That website soon evolved from opinion pieces and daily news articles into the Lions of Liberty podcast, which Marc founded in 2013. Over the last six years, Lions of Liberty has become a leading platform for libertarian voices in the alternative media.

Join The Lions of Liberty Podcast with three unique shows every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Marc Clair hosts interviews with leading libertarian minds on Monday's flagship program. Brian McWilliams provides a shot of culture, comedy and liberty every Wednesday with Electric Liberty Land. On Friday John Odermatt exposes injustice in the broken criminal justice system with Felony Friday. THREE unique shows. ONE podcast feed. 

Finding Liberty and Freedom Topics Discussed:

* A bit about Marc* How he became interested in living a more Libertarian lifestyle and that evolved into him starting The Lions of Liberty Podcast* How recent life events and the current Covid craziness have made Marc realize it is time for a life change* Why living in a big city just isn’t for Marc anymore* How Marc is taking the current situation in our country to focus on his health* How your health can make you more productive and actually have more free time* How Marc accidentally became a Vegetarian* How Marc has realized he just has way too much useless stuff and it is weighing him down* How Marc has re-found the passion for things he once did and wanted to accomplish, just could never find the time* Marc’s future projects and the next steps in his life simplification journey

Resources and links:

* Lions of Liberty Podcast website: https://lionsofliberty.com/podcast/* Belong to The Simple Life Insider’s Circle: https://thesimplelifenow.com/betterlife* CREDIT: Episode art background image photo by Jason Hogan

Are you yearning for a simpler life and moving to a more rural location? Maybe you want to take it a step further and live off-the-grid. For those who may not know, Gary (the host of Your Better Life Podcast) has built a house and lives off-the-grid part of the year and other parts in his RV. Today, Gary brings on Ken Kotalik of Primus Wind Turbines to discuss alternative energy, as it applies to living off-the-grid and the benefits of using wind power. 

Understanding how to use alternative energy is critical for those looking to live this lifestyle, but is also interesting for others, as it is being used in our modern energy-producing infrastructure more and more. Gary shares his experiences, and how he installed his system, and what it consists of.

Why off-grid wind power? Starting with the basics, a wind turbine converts kinetic energy in the wind to electrical power.  Considering the equation below, the more dense the wind, the higher the wind speed, and the larger the rotor area, the more power that is captured.

Power= ½ x Air Density x Wind Velocity^3 x Rotor Area

While maximizing the rotor seems like a favorable option, wind turbine cost escalates as a function of the rotor area.  In analyzing weather data in detail, the following conclusions can be drawn relative to wind power generation:

* Average wind speeds are highest during wintertime* Colder, wintertime air is denser and increases power generation, particularly in northern climates with frigid winters* Stormy, inclement weather has a reduced solar resource and an increased wind resource* The wind is highly variable, but statistically speaking, blows as often at night as during the day which reduces the severity in-depth of battery discharge (significantly extending battery life)

Wind Alternative Energy for Homes Topics Discussed:

* Ken and Gary discuss what is alternative energy and how it is used while living off-the-grid* What are the basic components of an off-the-grid and grid-tied energy systems* Understanding the difference between a grid-tied and off-the-grid energy systems* The advantages and disadvantages of trying to install an entire alternative energy system yourself* Make sure if you hire a professional to do your installation they have a background in off-the-grid energy systems* The benefits of doing everything to code during your off-the-grid project* How battery storage works in an off-the-grid system and new technologies in this area* Gary discusses his recent Primus Wind Turbine install the good, the bad, and the ugly* What Gary and others will use wind power for while living off-the-grid* How much a basic wind power system will cost* How to determine if you live in an area where wind power can be used* What is the future of alternative energy* How wind turbines fit into the alternative energy concept* Other applications for alternative energy* Where to go on to find out more information about basic wind power systems and take a free online course

Resources and links:

* Primus Wind Power’s website: http://www.primuswindpower.

Did you know only 1% of the content shared on social media is considered original? That it is estimated 70% of all fake news is disseminated on social media? We are drowning in bad and false information today, but what can we do about it? Today I bring on Reporter/Writer Cathy Reisenwitz to help us decipher fact from fiction and try and figure out what is really going on in this world. Cathy recently wrote an article: “Why We’re F*cked on Disinformation. In this episode, we dig in deep on the facts and the reasons behind her article.

Cathy Reisenwitz, a writer, with bylines in The Week, Newsweek, Forbes, the Daily Beast, VICE Motherboard, Reason magazine, Talking Points Memo, Ravishly, Kink and Code and other publications. Her newsletter is Sex and the State. She is the Head of Content at a tech startup and VP of Comms at San Francisco Sex-Positive Democratic Club. Check out her Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, OnlyFans, and LinkedIn.

Media Disinformation Topics Discussed:

* A bit about Cathy* How the idea came about her article “Why We’re F*cked on Disinformation* How the Russian’s and Chinese are attacking America from the inside out* What is QAnon, and how are congressional candidates promoting it* Why Mark Zuckerberg is loyal to anyone in power * How the Republicans are not being censored as much as they claim they are on Social Media Platforms* What is the goal of our enemies by their disinformation campaigns in the U.S.* How Craig Newmark, the creator of Craigslist is fighting, the disinformation war* How the press fuels the fire of disinformation* How you can better filter all the BS information in the media to make sensible rational decisions

Resources and links:

* Cathy’s website: http://www.cathyreisenwitz.com* Belong to The Simple Life Insider’s Circle: https://thesimplelifenow.com/betterlife

Today, if you are a manly-man, you are in the minority through society's eyes. Worse yet, you may be ridiculed and called a whole host of names such as: misogynist, bigot, chauvinist, sexist, and, in some cases, the Devil! The looks I have gotten over for the last five years, by well, looking and acting like a real man are very revealing. I have had women literally look at me with so much hate, I would have gone up in flames on the spot if they could figure out how to do it.

The fact is, a lot of women want “real men,” but it is getting harder and harder to find one. Today put some factor 50 sunscreen on your face because this one is going to be a burner!  

Topics Discussed:

* Defining the three different types of masculinity traits* Alexis’ experience with dealing with this “soft-cornered” modern man* Why gender roles are not only important, but a part of every organisms hard-wiring* Why you can fight biology all you want… a penis is still a penis, and a vagina is still a vagina* Why have the gender roles become so blurred in today’s society* Alexis tells her personal story on how her and her husband met* The real reason why women play dress-up* Why Gary is afraid to talk to the modern woman today* Why those steamy romance novels are so popular today* Why getting what you wish for as a woman is not all it is cracked up to be* Is it possible the fragmentation of society today is because of our confused gender rolls* Why even those far-left leaning women’s rights women in the end want a real man not some skinny jeaned, manbun wearing softy* Why not fighting our biology and focusing on being good people is the key

Resources and links:

* Belong to The Simple Life Insider’s Circle: https://thesimplelifenow.com/betterlife* CREDIT: Episode art background image photo by Jakob Owens

I thought I knew how bad it really was in government. It turns out, the swamp is more insidious than I ever imagined. As some of you know I spent nearly half my life working in military intelligence and as a federal special agent.

You wouldn’t think that was torture enough, but I saw an ad for the HBO Documentary – The Swamp, and just couldn’t resist. Even I learned a few new things, (mostly not good) and my curiosity was peaked!

With that, I decided to reach out to both writers of The Swamp, and they graciously agreed to come on as guests and discuss how this documentary came about.   

As taken from HBO:

Directed by Daniel DiMauro and Morgan Pehme (Get Me Roger Stone), The Swamp provides a look behind the curtain of Washington politics by following three renegade Republican Congressmen — Matt Gaetz (R-FL), Thomas Massie (R-KY), and Ken Buck (R-CO) — over the course of a pivotal year in politics as they champion President Trump’s call to “drain the swamp."  With unique behind-the-scenes access to the inner workings of the House amid major breaking news events, including the Robert Mueller hearing and Presidential impeachment proceedings, the film presents a revealing look at the core democratic institution of American government and demonstrates the breadth and grip of a system that rewards fundraising above all else, plaguing Congress on both sides of the aisle.Morgan Pehme is an award-winning filmmaker, journalist, and political commentator. Most recently, Morgan directed and produced with Daniel DiMauro The Swamp (2020), a behind-the-scenes exploration of the systemic corruption plaguing the U.S. Congress. The film was produced for HBO by their company, Calliope Pictures, in partnership with the Emmy-winning L.A.-based production company IPC. Earlier this year, Morgan co-directed and produced with DiMauro Slumlord Millionaire (2020), an episode of Netflix’s Dirty Money series, executive produced by Academy Award-winning documentarian Alex Gibney. Previously, Morgan co-directed, wrote and produced the critically acclaimed Netflix Original documentary Get Me Roger Stone, which made its premiere at the 2017 Tribeca Film Festival before being released in theaters in New York and Los Angeles and worldwide on Netflix.Morgan also co-directed the narrative feature Nothing Sacred and co-wrote and produced the psychological thriller Nightmare for IFC Films. An expert in politics, Morgan is an on-camera analyst for PIX11 News. He is also the former editor-in-chief of City & State magazine and co-host of Effective Radio on AM970 in New York City. Among the publications to which Morgan has contributed articles are The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Daily Beast, New York Daily News, The Hill, and HuffPost. Morgan has appeared as a guest on The View, The Today Show, NBC Nightly News, CNN, MSNBC, BBC, and NPR.Daniel DiMauro is a Brooklyn-based documentary filmmaker and writer. In August 2020, Daniel, along with Morgan Pehme, produced and directed The Swamp, an HBO documentary about dysfunction in the United States Congress. In March 2020, Netflix released Slumlord Millionaire, a film about White House special advisor Jared Kushner,

What would you do if you were wrongfully convicted of a heinous crime you didn’t commit? If that wasn’t bad enough, you were sentenced to death and every day forward was a fight for your life, sanity, and the hope you could prove your innocence.

Today, I have a very special guest, Damien Echols who spent 18 years on death row for a crime he didn’t commit. His case was all over the media worldwide and was even highlighted in three documentaries on HBO. We will dig into his tragic journey, and most importantly how was able to get through using the various form of meditation and High Magick.

In 1993, Damien Echols, Jason Baldwin, and Jessie Misskelley, Jr.—who became known as the West Memphis Three—were wrongfully convicted of murder. Deemed the “ringleader,” Echols was sentenced to death. Over the next two decades, the WM3 became a worldwide symbol of wrongful conviction and imprisonment, with thousands of supporters who called for a new trial. In a shocking turn of events, all three men were freed on an Alford plea, an unusual technicality whereby the defendants were released but not vindicated, in August 2011.

Today, Damien is the author of the New York Times bestseller Life After Death (Penguin, 2012), and co-author of Yours for Eternity (Penguin, 2014) with his wife, Lorri Davis. In 2018, he published HIGH MAGICK: A Guide to the Spiritual Practices That Saved My Life on Death Row (Sounds True), and his latest book Angels and Archangels, A Magician's Guide was recently published with Sounds True. The story of his wrongful murder conviction has been the subject of several films: the HBO documentary trilogy Paradise Lost and West of Memphis, a documentary produced by Peter Jackson and Fran Walsh. He and Lorri live in Harlem. 

Topics Discussed 

* Damien's back story about landing on Death Row* How without the HBO series Paradise Lost he would have been executed* We discuss the fact that innocent people are convicted and sentenced to death more than people realize* The absolute absurdity of the use of “Alford Plea” * How the West Memphis Three case tragically looks very similar to the Steven Avery case, as highlighted on the Netflix series: Making A Murderer* How his various forms of meditation and the practice of High Magick got him through this ordeal* How changing his physical health was one of the first steps on his path to understanding his deeper self* What is Magick (it is not what you think), and why it may be the first practiced philosophy of self-help and self-improvement in human history* Why the practicing of Magick is transformational and becoming “more than human”* What are the beginning steps towards using Magick to improve your life* How Gary started his life of living off-the-grid and transformation into a simpler life

Resources and links:

* Damien’s website where all of his books, events, and teachings can be found: http://www.damienechols.com* Follow Damien on Twitter: @damienechols* Damien’s Patreon: patreon.com/Damienechols* Join The Simple Life Insider’s Circle: 

Are you looking to take that next step toward ultimate freedom by running your own successful company? Well, guess what? It isn’t easy, but anyone can do it with a bit of hard work and perseverance. Today, I have on a fellow Veteran who did just that.

Chet Peters and his brother started a company from their garage, and now have 25 employees at MILSPIN, a metal fabrication to consumer company. Chet and I share our experiences as entrepreneurs and give you some tips and mistakes to avoid along the way to give you a head start on your current or possible business venture.

About MILSPIN and the owners:

MILSPIN is a veteran-owned business. We are Chet and Dana Peters. We run a small metal fabrication shop in Columbus, Ohio, and we run it well.  We found our niche making high-end CNC products for American patriots. Manufacturing is not dead in the United States, it’s not even dying; It’s just been reborn. People are tired of the mass-produced low-quality crap products that started flooding store shelves a couple of decades ago: shipped to our shores in a giant container with a hundred thousand other units, 75% of which have never even been touched by human hands. They want "American made" products like our custom engraved Harley Davidson point covers or the popular stainless-steel slide backplates that are made with effort, with care, that someone put their time into and thought about and looked at with scrutiny; improved and re-improved to the point of perfection. We first started noticing the trend with the craft beer industry which absolutely exploded a few years back. Restaurants started making a shift to offering local organic food as patrons wanted to know where their food was coming from. People are buying their furniture hand made by artists, buying their clothes from online stores that actually answer emails. America has spoken. We are done buying crap goods. We love cutting metal! The sound a good cutter makes when you hit its sweet spot up against a piece of stainless steel puts a grin on our faces. We crave the feeling of a smooth, freshly cut, fine-finished metal surface that’s never before felt the human touch. We are celebrating the rebirth of American manufacturing, we love our jobs, and we love our customers.  When one of our products comes off the table it is either perfect, or it gets recycled. If you find otherwise, tell us: we will send you a new one no questions asked. When we aren’t burning through metal we hunt, fish, hike, shoot, drink beer, and talk about burning through more metal. 

Topics Discussed:

* How Chet transitioned from the military to engineering student* How Chet and his brother eventually came up with the idea for MILSPIN* How to run a business, especially on the beginning on a budget* Chet and Gary discuss some of the mistakes they have made as entrepreneurs* Why being an entrepreneur is not for everyone* Why it is important to get a job in college and not take on unnecessary debt* Why made in America is better and needs to be the focus* Why a lot of American companies are actually influencing terrible labor conditions* Chet gives you some advice on how to start a business and then grow it when the opportunity arises

Would it surprise you that the freest country, the United States, in the world, incarcerates more of its people by percentage than any developed nation in the world? How can a country based on the concept of “individual freedom” have this contradiction?

Today, we dig in with Newsmax contributor Hannah Cox, why the United States not only incarcerates more people than any other country, but why we also execute far more of our people than any other developed country. And it appears a scary percentage may actually be innocent!

Hannah Cox is a libertarian-conservative commentator, writer, and activist. She is a Newsmax Insider where she writes under her column "Life and Liberty," and a contributor to The Washington Examiner. Her work has also been seen at NPR, Fox News, The Hill, and more.

Topics Discussed with Hannah Cox:

* What is Conservatives Concerned with the Death Penalty* How many innocent people get convicted and executed every year* Is our Criminal Justice System really racist* The main problems with indigent defense * Are there two Criminal Justice Systems: one for the rich and one for the poor* Why are false confessions more prevalent than people think* Why Prosecutors wield too much power in the Criminal Justice System* Why the death penalty is not a deterrence to crime* Discussing the alarming rate of people in prison in the United States* What is the “CSI Effect”* How is the supposed gold standard of evidence—DNA evidence manipulated* How Americans stance on the death penalty has changed recently* How we can reduce violent crime in America 

Resources and links:

* Hannah’s Newsmax Archive: https://www.newsmax.com/archives/hannahcox/584/2020/7/* Hannah’s Twitter: @HannahCox7* Belong to The Simple Life Insider’s Circle: https://thesimplelifenow.com/betterlife* CREDIT: Episode art background image photo by Emiliano Bar

Are you yearning for a life of freedom, running your own business, and traveling the country in an RV?

As most of you know, I have, and still live the RV life. But today is not about me. Today, I bring on Reagan Snow, who has a fantastic story from a failed marriage, having his soul slowly drained away working in a cubical, doing the daily grind--to rebirth and total freedom! 

Topics RV Life Tops Discussed:

* Why being stabbed in the back “literally” changed his life* How his RV adventure started* Dealing with the Pandemic while living a life on the road* How his wife found his life purpose for him by accident* How much they spent to get started in their RV adventure (it may surprise you)* Why multiple streams of income are so important as an entrepreneur* How the RV life has taught them and me that the American Dream is actually the American Trap* Why simple doesn’t mean easy and this life isn’t free you need a plan and money to get started* The fact that anyone can live this lifestyle if they want to

Born and raised in a small Southeastern Idaho town Reagan Snow is the child of an upholster, road grater operator, pilot, and an English teacher (divorce does have some benefits). Due to an unfortunate knee injury during his freshman year of high school, Reagan was forced to abandon what would have surely been a mediocre career in high school athletics to pursue theatre. He went on to study theatre at Idaho State University and Boise State University.  At the same time Reagan spent time touring the Western United States as a stand-up/improv comedian. After college he spent time traveling The Northwest with the Idaho-Eugene Ballet company and Idaho Opera Company as a stage manager. 

Reagan then embarked on a career in radio journalism working for National Public Radio (NPR) in Boise, Id, Clear Channel Broadcasting in Tucson, Az, and Broken Chains Media in Fargo, ND.  Journalism then took Reagan back home to work for the newspaper that printed his birth announcement. 

Returning home also allowed Reagan to serve as a city council member, chamber of commerce president, high school athletics stadium announcer, an Sons of the American Legion Commander, along with many other volunteer opportunities

In 2017, while his wife, Erin Wright, was beginning her career as a romance novelist they acquired the advertising newsletter Full Hearts Romance. 

Erin is from another small town in Southern Idaho. She is the USA Today bestselling author of The Long Valley series of novels. She is also the creator of the Facebook group Wide For the Win. She is currently working on her 14th title in The Long Valley series which are based in the fictional Idaho town of Sawyer. By their powers combined they formed Snowflake Press LLC in 2018.

The small online business, along with Erin’s writing income allowed the couple the opportunity to work from home. In 2018 they decided that “the office” could be anywhere there was internet service. With their cat, Jasmine, an internet hotspot, and a 25-foot travel trailer they began traveling the western United States. They covered over 12,