Newsletter Archive

 

 

 

Stefan’s Newsletter – Fall 2019

Hi Everyone
Hope you all had a good Summer! Despite living in what can only be called Zombie Land,  I managed to squeeze out a little productivity. I hope you all are finding time to do what you care about too!

Up-Coming Projects

So following my White Knight pathology which I hope to get counselling for,

Books

Latest Art Projects

Originally published in 1881 The Household Cyclopedia of Useful and Domestic Arts was compiled by Dr, Hartshorne as a means of distilling the most useful skills, knowledge, instructions, and recipes of his time.

Since no hard copies are available, I re-published this two volume set. I edited the text, created a clean layout, added an index and glossary, and created a cover in the style of books from that era.

There are dozens of potential events, that could collapse our society overnight. We would have to return to a time when we survived without electricity or petroleum products, which would be the 1800’s.

This book provides all the information needed to live comfortably without electricity or gas, just like your great grandparents did. Learn more here.

 _________________________________________________________________

SALE

All my books are now up to 30% off if you order through PayPal.

Help me screw Amazon and order direct from me. Amazon takes 30% of every sale but if you order through paypal, we bypass Amazon and I pass the savings on to you. The books are still shipped from Amazon, but I order them using my publisher’s discount and pass the savings on to you. Click on the book cover below and look for the Paypal button.

Kung Fu in the Park – Starts June 1st

The hell of another Canadian winter is behind us. I did go to the lake a few times to train but now that the warm weather is here, join me every Thursday night down by the lake for some easy going Kung Fu training.

Check out my double sword video: Old Man in Winter.

If you’re in the Toronto area sign up for classes here:

Canoe

So I figured out a way to transport my canoe across the city along the bike trails. I can then throw my bike and trailer into the canoe and paddle back!

Here’s a short vid of towing the canoe to the boat slip.

This summer anyone in the GTO is welcome to join me for paddle! No really, just e-mail me.

New Videos

 So I only managed to turn out a couple of vids this winter, but they are pretty important.

Bad news first.

We are at war, and we don’t even know it.

Our society is under full scale attack by psychopaths.

If we don’t stop what’s happening now, the world may not see freedom again for a thousand years.

And the good news

With so much insanity in the world, I wanted to share something positive, it’s what keeps me sane, or at least prevents me from running down the street yelling, “I’m mad as hell and I’m not going to take it anymore!”

Radio Interviews

Winter is interview season and I did a lot of interviews. The one that got the most attention is the one I did with Sean over at SGT Report.

Yes, the movie “Hostel” is an accurate depiction of what our rulers like to do on the weekends.

To listen to all my interviews, check out my radio playlist here:

So that’s all for now. Stay in touch!

 

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Stefan’s Newsletter – Spring 2017

Hi Everyone
Hope you all had a good winter! Despite the approaching end of civilization, I managed to squeeze out a little productivity these past few months. I hope you all are finding time to do what you care about too!

Latest Art Projects

So I wrote ten proposals this past year for public art projects and was rejected every time!  Undeterred, I have created a couple of abstract paintings and sculptures.

The sculptures below have plastic tubes inside that light up with a soothing candlelight effect. A modern take on the Japanese Snow Lantern.

Because I depend on at least one public art commission a year, and because I have not been successful in winning a single commission all year, I am forced to sell some of my personal paintings. Check out my artworks on my Gallery page and please share with anyone that might be interested in purchasing one of my pieces.

Books

Originally published in 1881 The Household Cyclopedia of Useful and Domestic Arts was compiled by Dr, Hartshorne as a means of distilling the most useful skills, knowledge, instructions, and recipes of his time.

Since no hard copies are available, I re-published this two volume set. I edited the text, created a clean layout, added an index and glossary, and created a cover in the style of books from that era.

There are dozens of potential events, that could collapse our society overnight. We would have to return to a time when we survived without electricity or petroleum products, which would be the 1800’s.

This book provides all the information needed to live comfortably without electricity or gas, just like your great grandparents did. Learn more here.

 _________________________________________________________________

SALE

All my books are now up to 30% off if you order through PayPal.

Help me screw Amazon and order direct from me. Amazon takes 30% of every sale but if you order through paypal, we bypass Amazon and I pass the savings on to you. The books are still shipped from Amazon, but I order them using my publisher’s discount and pass the savings on to you. Click on the book cover below and look for the Paypal button.

Kung Fu in the Park – Starts June 1st

The hell of another Canadian winter is behind us. I did go to the lake a few times to train but now that the warm weather is here, join me every Thursday night down by the lake for some easy going Kung Fu training.

Check out my double sword video: Old Man in Winter.

If you’re in the Toronto area sign up for classes here:

Canoe

So I figured out a way to transport my canoe across the city along the bike trails. I can then throw my bike and trailer into the canoe and paddle back!

Here’s a short vid of towing the canoe to the boat slip.

This summer anyone in the GTO is welcome to join me for paddle! No really, just e-mail me.

New Videos

 So I only managed to turn out a couple of vids this winter, but they are pretty important.

Bad news first.

We are at war, and we don’t even know it.

Our society is under full scale attack by psychopaths.

If we don’t stop what’s happening now, the world may not see freedom again for a thousand years.

And the good news

With so much insanity in the world, I wanted to share something positive, it’s what keeps me sane, or at least prevents me from running down the street yelling, “I’m mad as hell and I’m not going to take it anymore!”

Radio Interviews

Winter is interview season and I did a lot of interviews. The one that got the most attention is the one I did with Sean over at SGT Report.

Yes, the movie “Hostel” is an accurate depiction of what our rulers like to do on the weekends.

To listen to all my interviews, check out my radio playlist here:

So that’s all for now. Stay in touch!

 

If you received this newsletter by mistake you can Unsubscribe

 

 

Stefan’s Newsletter – Fall 2015

Hi EveryoneHope you all a good Summer!Despite the increasingly dysfunctional social conditions and economic hardships I managed to squeeze a little productivity out the past few month. I hope you all are finding time to do what you care about too.

Latest Art Projects


Nuit Blanche 1Tri-Monic Nuit Blanche

Once again a big thank you for everyone who donated to my successful kickstarter campaign and helped make this art event happen!
 
 It started off looking like it would be a disaster, with the bad weather, and technical difficulties, but amazingly it all came together and ended up being a wonderful experience for everyone.
 Check out the video Here:

Fort Mac igNIGHT Arts Festival

After Nuit Blanche I was commissioned to bring Tri-Monic to exhibit at the igNight Art Festival in Ft McMurray Alberta.

This small town is way up north and is the closest town to the famous oils sands.

Despite the cold and occasional polar bear attack I had a great time and met many wonderful people.

Pictured here is ‘yours truly’ with a pair of beautiful young artists from the Boreal Artist Institute ‘rockin’ the red carpet at the Suncor Halloween party.

I came dressed as a homeless person.

(No I didn’t gain weight, my coat pockets are filled with the free food and beer I scarfed at the party!)

Check out the video here:


TO Box 2Outside the Box

I was honored to be selected to be part of Toronto’s Street Art program and paint one of our city’s utility boxes.

I was assigned the corner of Church and Wellesley, which, for those that don’t know Toronto, is the heart of the GBLT community.  And the week I was assigned was Gay Pride week!

So it was not boring at all sitting on a street corner all day for a week painting a box.

New Videos

rat bushParadise Stolen: The Myth of Terrorism

Part 4 in my series, very relevant considering recent events.

Kung Fu in the Park 1Kung Fu in the Park

The cold, eternal darkness and hell of another Canadian winter is upon us. But before we go to hide in our little boxes for the next 6 months, we had one last warm day in November that a few of my students and I took advantage of to train outdoors.

Canoe 1Canoe

So I finally got a canoe. Now I can paddle to downtown Toronto in case the traffic is too bad!

Here’s a short vid of the lake near my apartment.

Next summer anyone in the GTO is welcome to join me on Saturday Night Booze Cruise!

Survival Vids

survival calendar coverSurvival Calendar

This Christmas,,,

oops, I mean “Holiday Season”,

give the gift of life, your life!

This calendar will help you prepare for what’s coming. This vid explains what it’s all about.

Order Yours Here:

Radio TV Interviews

LIPTV 1

China, Corruption & Surviving the Age of Chaos

What’s Coming? Check out my interview with Michael Parker on LIPTV. Not my best, was too scattered getting my art projects ready.

staffcropWell that’s it for now.I am staying positive and am working on several big projects, and at the same time, training and getting ready for some hard times, like one of the artists at Ft Mac told me, “It’s like being manic depressive all at the same time.”Stay strong, and enjoy life!

Stefan’s Newsletter – Spring 2015

Note: Images in this newsletter are linked from my website instead of inserted into the body. Your mail server may block the images until you click the ‘Allow Images’ box. You can view this newsletter on-line at:   http://www.chinastrategies.com/newsletter-archive/
Hi Everyone
What a winter !
As if the arctic cold and hurricane force blizzards weren’t bad enough, the daily polar bear attacks made commuting by bicycle very annoying.
So much to share with you all. Hope you enjoy.

Latest Art Projects

row houseOutside the Box

Coming in June: StreetARToronto (StART) “Outside the Box” program

Stefan has been selected by the StART jury to paint one of the city’s utility boxes. His design is called Walk around the Block.

“This design is a return to my cityscape and architectural paintings whereby I take a row of houses and wrap the image around the box so that by walking around the box is like walking down the block on old Toronto street.”
Stefan will be painting at Church and Wellesley during the week of June 22nd.

 Pagoda video picPagoda

Last year I was commissioned by Joe Fresh to recreate one of the illustrations from my book The Thirty-Six Strategies of Ancient China for their pagoda T shirt line. I took photos as I worked and edited them into this short vid showing the progression from pencil sketch to pen and ink illustration.

I also have a major art project coming up. Details in the next newsletter.

New Videos

Lots of new vids, from Historical Cycles to my Anti-War series Paradise Stolen.

And of course some survival tips! Please like and share, comments always welcome.

385406bbafee45a45c133ddda8a51bec

Historical Cycles: Are we doomed to repeat the past?

Chinese dynastic cycles show how the theory of historical cycles work and how to apply them to our current situation. Are we headed towards an age of chaos? What did the ancients do to survive?

 

This article appears in The Trends Journal, Fall 2014 edition. Read the article here:

041Paradise Stolen – DON’T SHOW YOUR CHILDREN!

Anti-War video showing another side to the cost of war – the life you could have had.

Part 1 of 4, two more coming soon.

Survival Vids

sd system The Personal Emergency Information System

How to put together a portable and rechargeable survival library.

If the lights go out, you’ll be glad you put this kit together.

The Ultimate Bug Out Vehicledeffrolla-550x394_big

Short video shows you the most realistic and inexpensive way to evacuate a city.

Don’t let the cover photo fool you, you can put an ultimate Bug Out rig together for a couple hundred dollars!

 

Radio Interviews

RichardLots of new Radio and Podcast interviews click on this link to see the latest playlist.

If you like talk radio these shows feature, yours truly, pondering and ranting on a variety of topics from psychopaths, to history, to protesting and survival.

Public Speaking

This summer I am scheduled to give two presentations on Urban Survival for two of Ontario’s biggest prepper/survivalist events.

Ontario prepper logoAnnual Preppers Meet

July 10 to 12, 2015

537157 County Road 14, Horning’s Mills, ON

The largest and most unique event of it’s kind is entering its third year and we’re honored to have Canada’s best preppers, survivalists and bushcraft experts for one amazing, cheap levitra us jam-packed weekend of free events. We’ll be teaching you a wide-variety of practical skills – everything from wild edibles to homemade power generation. From ex-military to teachers that are masters in their field – our event presentation list include the who’s who of the prepping, survivalist and bushcraft community and we’re grateful to have them.

Attendance is – FREE!!

Survival expo logoThe Survival Expo

Aug 8th / 9th 2015

6815 Stanley Avenue, Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada

The Survival Expo was established to help people share knowledge and products. Through seminars, group courses and of course many vendors you will find everything you need that relates to Prepping, Homesteading, Self-Reliance and Off Grid Living.

Tickets $10 per day or $18 for a two day pass

 Writing

CBE revised edition cover36coverBoth my books on China, Chinese Business Etiquette and The Thirty Six Strategies have gone into a second printing! If they were published in Canada I’d be a best seller!!

 

 

 

 


Magazine Articles

Trends Cover I have been honored by having several of my articles published in Gerald Celente’s premier news and trends magazine, The Trends Journal.

 

Mr. Celente is one of the great old time truth tellers, a modern day Mark Twain. Check out his videos on YouTube.

Read one the articles I wrote here:

 Martial Arts

humber bayThis summer I will be teaching Kung Fu in the Park. If you live near the lake shore in the west end of Toronto, then this is for you. This class is slightly more vigorous than Tai Chi, outdoors, beautiful surroundings and a nice group of people. More info here:

 


Stefan’s Newsletter – Winter 2012

Note: Images in this newsletter are linked from my website instead of inserted into the body. Your mail server may block the images until you click the ‘Allow Images’ box.

You can view this newsletter on-line at:http://www.chinastrategies.com/newsletterwinter12.htm

Hi Everyone
It’s been a year since my last newsletter and what a strange year its been!
So much to share with you all. Hope you enjoy.
Latest Art Project
068Miyamoto Mache
Amazing sculpture of the legendary swordsman made from recycled newspaper.
This is my homage to one of my heroes Miyamoto Musashi. He was a warrior and and artist, and so much more. A total rebel.Watch the youtube video of this sculpture Here:
New Videos
Lots of new vids, from radio bags and solar chargers to Kung Fu spear and art.
Please like and share, comments always welcome.
Spear FormLohan Spear Form
This is yours truly practicing my spear form on a cold autumn day. Anyone who can guess the location wins a free private lesson!
tsaistaffLearning the Shaolin Staff Form
While we’re on the subject of Kung Fu, here’s a short clip of Master Tsai trying to teach me staff form in Taipei, more than 25 years ago. Sherman set the way back machine to…
006_0001Cigarette Case Solar Battery Charger
How to make a solar powered battery charger that fits in a cigarette case for under $12.00I was up-dating my emergency preparedness kit and I noticed that I use a lot of AA batteries for flashlights, radios, and Walkie Talkies. If the power went out for any length of time I would  have no way to recharge them. I needed something really slender for my already bulging Radio Bag.This video will show those with just a bit of electronics experience how to put this super slim and rugged solar charger together.
emcom bug out bagEmergency Communications Bug Out Bag
Speaking of radio kits, this video shows you how to put together an emergency communications bag.  An important part of a disaster preparedness plan.
200856234850171334085342How to Survive War
Excerpted from the book, The Art of Urban Survival, this video teaches how to recognize the signs of impending war and what you can do to protect yourself and your family from wartime conditions.
WritingblindzenaudiocoversmlBlind Zen Audio Book Now Available!This professional quality audio book includes music and sound-scapes that help illustrate different parts of the story.Available for download for on Amazon AudibleBlind Zen tells the story of how a blind woman’s efforts to learn self defense led to a unique experiment to adapt martial arts and eastern philosophy to develop new skills and increase self confidence.
Radio NewsI was interviewed by Allan Russell of Insight Radio on Scottish Radio about how to teach martial arts for the blind and vision impaired.Watch and listen on youtube here:
Read my last article for Black Belt Magazine free on-line.kyudoDancing the Wu Shin
How to develop No-Mind through Free Form

This is another in my series of articles that provide scientific explanations for Zen martial arts principles.In this article I explain the purpose of Wu Shin (Chinese) or Mushin (Japanese) also known as ‘No-Mind’ and why developing this state of mind is essential for real life combat. This article will teach you how to become a Dancing Wu Shin Master!

Stefan’s Newsletter – Summer 2011

Note: Images in this newsletter are linked from my website instead of inserted into the body. Your mail server may block the images until you click the ‘Allow Images’ box.

Hi EveryoneIt’s been more than a year since my last newsletter so this one has lots of news!Writing
frontcoverroyalIf you have been watching the news lately you will have heard of earthquakes, tsunamis, radioactive fallout, evacuations, riots, police brutality, revolutions, economic hardship, and war. All these situations are covered in my latest book…
The Art of Urban Survival*A Family Safety and Self Defense ManualThis is an encyclopedia of safety and emergency techniques everyone should know. Written in a direct to the point manner giving you exactly what you need to know. Over 226 illustrations and graphics.Paperback, 304 pages, illustrated, US $24.95
The Art of Urban Survivalis the ideal manual for families. Includes:

  • How to create your own survival kits for home and automobile
  • How to survive war, terrorism, riots, natural disasters and martial law
  • How to organize and conduct a search & rescue team to find lost family members
  • 200 crime prevention and safety tips
  • 54 empty hand self defense techniques
  • The psychology behind psychopaths, anger and aggression, gangs and mobs
  • How to tell when someone is lying
  • What to do to protect your children from stranger abduction
  • How to escape and evade capture by enemy forces
  • How to improvise 17 weapons from household items

Watch my video on The Art of Urban Survival here:

* New publisher and new cover, same contents. If you already bought a copy with the old cover, congratulations, it’s now a collector’s edition!

My latest article in Black Belt Magazine’s 50th Anniversary May 2011 issue.bbmagcover201105_sDancing the Wu Shin
How to develop No-Mind through Free Form

This is another in my series of articles that provide scientific explanations for Zen martial arts principles.In this article I explain the purpose of Wu Shin (Chinese) or Mushin (Japanese) also known as ‘No-Mind’ and why developing this state of mind is essential for real life combat. This article will teach you how to become a Dancing Wu Shin Master!This is a collectors edition and is already sold out in most stores. But you can order a copy from Black Belt here:
New Videos
defensecoversmlDefense Against the PsychopathThis Zeitgeist style video is based on the chapter on psychopaths from my book, The  Art of Urban Survival. Using over 250 movie clips to teach you about the different types of psychopaths, how to recognize their key characteristics, how they operate, and how to defend against them.If you want to understand what is happening to society, this video will provide some surprising answers.
Hasui19_500Strategy 1: Fool the Emperor to Cross the Sea Strategy One from my book, The Thirty-Six Strategies of Ancient China. This video covers the first strategy from the book and includes a Japanese teaching tale called the Cat and the Rat.To illustrate the story I used images from Edo Period Japanese woodcuts, one of my favorite art forms.
taipeibikeTaipei Night Life 1987Dug this one out of the vault. Filmed in 1987 this clip features Taipei’s only live band, ‘The Diplomats’. Since posting this on youtube I’ve made contact with most of the old band members and they are all doing fine and still living in Taiwan.First couple of minutes is filmed from the back of my motorcycle as we drive through Taipei traffic. Not for the weak of heart!
Latest Art Project
 I was recently commissioned by Van Der Graaf  to create four statues for their trade show display. I carved these figures out of Styrofoam, (a first for me) and I have created a webpage that provides info on the technical techniques I used here:flintstonesmall

Stefan’s Newsletter – October ’08

Note: Images in this newsletter are linked from my website instead of inserted into the body. Your mail server may block the images until you click the ‘Allow Images’ box.

Writing
ChineseBEtiquetteMy new book, Chinese Business Etiquette, The Pocket Guide, is now available. I have added a new webpage for the book where you can read some book excerpts here:Order Chinese Business Etiquette On-line

 Read my interview in the Shanghai Star Business Journal.

shanghaistarweb

Art
Tubular Zen Huge Success!The City of Ventura’s Public Art committee recently  selected my  proposal, Tubular Zen, to be commissioned for the Artwalk Festival.We just had the opening reception and it was, well, Tubular Dudes!We had a troupe of dancers show up on the back of Harleys that drove right into the plaza and they danced around the sculpture and invited members of the audience to come up and activate the tubes.lndscp1it was all very “California” but truth is everyone loved it!Tubular Zen is located at the California Plaza at the foot of California Street right next to the beach and between the Crowne Plaza Hotel and the Aloha Steak House.The installation will run from October 16 to Nov 19  ’08Go to my Tubular Zen page to learn more about this unique artwork.

Stefan’s Newsletter – April ’08

Note: Images in this newsletter are linked from my website instead of inserted into the body. Your mail server may block the images until you click the ‘Allow Images’ box.

Writing / Martial ArtsMy latest article for Black Belt April issue is on newsstands now.
bbcoverdragonsgazeThe Dragon’s GazeWhy You Should Not Focus in Combat – A Scientific Explanation.This article explores the cognitive and physiological concept of ‘Focus’ in the martial arts and when and how to use an alternative observation technique called diffuse focus.You can read all my previously published articles here:See my new bio on Black Belt Mag’s website here: http://www.blackbeltmag.com/stefan_verstappen/archives/762
VideoI have up-loaded a clip of my appearance on LATV’s Local Explorer show broadcast two years ago here in La La Land.Co Hosts Elina Chang and Kelly Howard are riding their bikes along the Ventura Bike Trail (See photos here:) when they come across the long abandoned and mysterious Foster Bowl. The intrepid couple brave the forbidding staircase to the bowl where they happen upon the Phantom of the Foster! (yours truly) Youtube clip here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1lLhtH-XVv8Little Warrior Safety Tips on VideoI have cut and edited eight short safety clips from a training video I made in Houston six years ago. These are less than a minute each and teach children some important street safety tips. http://www.chinastrategies.com/vidpage.htm
Art
I recently scanned and up-loaded two comic strips from my college cartoonist/barfly days. Back in ’79. The Absinthe was the coolest college pub at York and if you ever worked at a college pub you will probably like them, if not, you’ll probably be bored to tears! http://www.chinastrategies.com/zero.htm
People
I recently met with martial arts legend and author Joe Hyams.He is the author of one of my favourite books, Zen and the Martial Arts. (Check out his book on Amazon) http://www.amazon.com/Zen-Martial-Arts-Joe-Hyams/dp/0553275593hyamsmlFor those of you too young to know this, Joe Hyams was a student of Ed Parker, Bruce Lee and other martial arts luminaries. He has written over 25 books (one with Chuck Norris), is well known in Hollywood  and was a close friend of my favourite movie star Humphrey Bogart.Joe and his lovely wife Lisa were gracious enough to stop by Ventura on their way back to Colorado and we had a great talk on the patio of the Crown Plaza Hotel on Ventura Beach.At 85 Joe still trains everyday. TriviaSo I was googling myself and found that I’m referenced in Roger Ebert’s Movie Yearbook 2007, page 924.Huh? Roger Ebert ??!!Well it seems he read my article on balance in Black Belt and quoted from it for an article. You can read the article on-line here: http://www.ocregister.com/ocregister/entertainment/atoz/article_1157631.phpGo figure.You can read the original article I wrote for Black Belt Magazine here: The Real Sixth Sense

Stefan’s Newsletter – September  ’07

Note: Images in this newsletter are linked from my website instead of inserted into the body. Your mail server may block the images until you click the ‘Allow Images’ box.

Art
Stefan’s Ventura Public Art Design Huge Success!Last month the California beach town of Ventura held a contest for artists to decorate local street utility boxes.I completed my Chinese Treasure box design and received rave reviews.artposterListen to me being interviewed on KCLU Radio in Santa Barbara here: http://www.chinastrategies.com/KCLU_artwalk.mp3I also filmed myself during the four days I worked on the project and condensed the footage into an entertaining 1 minute 45 second video clip here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_nUvxRSptNwThe video clip was so popular among the staff at city hall that it has been chosen by the City of Ventura to be included in their Annual City Report.The city also created a poster (Above) of the Treasure Box design!Click here for more info: http://www.chinastrategies.com/artwalk.htmWell I guess I wringed about as much publicity as one can out of this event.Next Newsletter: And for something a little different, my new book deal is about to be inked.