We are a commune of inquiring, skeptical, politically centrist, capitalist, anglophile, traditionalist New England Yankee humans, humanoids, and animals with many interests beyond and above politics. Each of us has had a high-school education (or GED), but all had ADD so didn't pay attention very well, especially the dogs. Each one of us does "try my best to be just like I am," and none of us enjoys working for others, including for Maggie, from whom we receive neither a nickel nor a dime. Freedom from nags, cranks, government, do-gooders, control-freaks and idiots is all that we ask for.
Machines are about to get very good at doing a range of tasks that human beings have historically been paid to perform. By some estimates, half of current jobs are in danger of being replaced. If anything close to this happens, a smaller and smaller share of the human population will possess skills that make them more productive than machines. As a larger supply of labor competes for fewer jobs, wages will fall for most, or dry up entirely. The owners of capital and property, physical and intellectual, will triumph. “With less need for human labor and judgment,” venture capitalist Vinod Khosla predicts, “labor will be devalued relative to capital and even more so relative to ideas and machine learning technology.”
A "healthy diet" above and beyond the basics cannot be defined and never will be defined because adequate nourishment can be obtained in so many ways. Much of the science of nutrition is dubious and, anyway, nobody reading this website is in any danger of being malnourished. Overnourished, more likely. Americans probably pee out more vitamins and minerals in a week than malnourished African kids get in a year.
In other words, Americans are the last people in the world who ought to fetishize the idea of "healthy" food. That is probably why we are the only people who do.
The nutritional science which has the most value involves diseases of malnutrition, which are absent in the Western world. The knowledge that has general applicability concerns the roles of protein, carbs, and fats in the diet, perhaps the role of vitamins, and the new information about how people become fat.
Furthermore, some foods are disparaged as unhealthy for no reason. Consider steak and burgers, ice cream, and so forth. People say "Eat fruits, greens, and vegetables." Why? They are just sometimes-tasty fillers with minimal nutrients but which can be fun to eat if done right. Is orange juice "healthy"? Depends what you mean. It's flavored sugar water and some people prefer it to plain water. Is chocolate "bad for you"? Of course not. It is wonderful food.
People talk about what foods are "nutritious." In the Western world, that is an absurd notion. Lots of guys in the NBA were raised on Frosted Flakes, Doritos, hot dogs, Coke, MacDonalds, and school lunch slops. Highly nutritious. The only people who should eat brown rice and whole wheat bread are people who prefer the flavor. The only people who should pay any attention to nutrition are parents of growing kids, people who are overweight, and athletes and others with heavy physical work.
In the prosperous Western world, you are not what you eat - so people ought to eat what they like and what they can afford and ignore the health marketing hype and ignore the health superstitions. I can tell you why our family meals consist of what they do: Tradition, preferences, and nothing more.
Modern investigators find it hard to accept the fact that groups exhibiting superb physical development and perfect health ate liberally of the very dietary component that modern nutritionists have demonized: Saturated animal fat.
Fried Squash Blossoms are a wonderful summertime traditional Italian treat. I harvested this platterful of them last night and we fried 'em up. When served hot, and lightly browned and salted, they leave French Fries in the dust.
On summer squash like Zucchini and Yellow Squash, the blossoms on the long stalks are the males, and thus expendable. However, I use both because there's always too much squash anyway. In fact, the blossoms are tastier than the squash. (I am fond of yellow summer squash steamed with salt, pepper, and butter, not so fond of zucchini except in soup.)
Almost forgot to mention that squash blossoms prevent arthritis, dementia, laziness, neurasthenia, depression, obesity, heart disease, and cancer - and most other sorts of death and disease. Guaranteed. For a few minutes, anyway.
This site explains how simple this is, using Marcella's method. Do not wash them at all because they need to be dry - just check them for bugs inside but a few tiny bugs just adds a little protein to the mix. Brown them lightly, drain, and eat sizzling hot. Photo below from Marcella's site -
10:25 Just then a lawyer stood up to test Jesus. "Teacher," he said, "what must I do to inherit eternal life?"
10:26 He said to him, "What is written in the law? What do you read there?"
10:27 He answered, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself."
10:28 And he said to him, "You have given the right answer; do this, and you will live."
10:29 But wanting to justify himself, he asked Jesus, "And who is my neighbor?"
10:30 Jesus replied, "A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell into the hands of robbers, who stripped him, beat him, and went away, leaving him half dead.
10:31 Now by chance a priest was going down that road; and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side.
10:32 So likewise a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side.
10:33 But a Samaritan while traveling came near him; and when he saw him, he was moved with pity.
10:34 He went to him and bandaged his wounds, having poured oil and wine on them. Then he put him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him.
10:35 The next day he took out two denarii, gave them to the innkeeper, and said, 'Take care of him; and when I come back, I will repay you whatever more you spend.'
10:36 Which of these three, do you think, was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of the robbers?"
10:37 He said, "The one who showed him mercy." Jesus said to him, "Go and do likewise."
Canadian officials are also interpreting the results to mean an increase in Islamophobia. “There is an epidemic of Islamophobia in Ontario. Only a third of Ontarians have a positive impression of the religion and more than half feel its mainstream doctrines promote violence (an anomaly compared to other religions),” the survey said.
How George Soros Singlehandedly Created The European Refugee Crisis - And Why
That study about fecal bacteria and obesity? Retracted
That study about fracking and air pollution? Retracted.
Yes, they were peer-reviewed before publication. Peer reviewers rarely assess raw data. Studies are not facts. H/T to Powerline for informing us about Retraction Watch.
The elites do not know any people like me, young not-millionaire entrepreneurs who like to go fishing and water-skiing, and drink beer, on weekends. People for whom the feds (can substitute EU) are more of an annoyance and obstacle than a benefit. The elites do not know any normal people.
Aerobic exercise (often aka Aerobic Cardio) is much disparaged these days, but it is not entirely useless as one component of fitness. It's roughly defined as exercises that keep one's heart rate elevated significantly for extended lengths of time (ie 20 minutes plus, but around 20 is enough for the benefits), and physiologically defined as exercises in which oxygen supply can keep up with metabolic demand. Thus jogging, running, swimming, rowing, biking etc. Eventual fatigue in these exertions has to do with depletion of muscle glycogen supplies or plain muscular inadequacy.
Heart rates for a beneficial cardio workout vary by age and fitness, but a rule of thumb is that if you can converse, you aren't doing anything; if you can get a few sentences out you're about right; and if you can barely speak you are probably over your limit or in a sprint.
Cardio is not very useful for fat loss or strength-building but it's good for maintaining or building endurance, bone fitness, and cardiac fitness. Better than sitting or walking, for sure. If you can bike 50 miles at any speed, that is great because most people can't.
As an aside, reader Mike reminds us that excess cardio can lead to muscle loss. True, but really only if you are in good shape with little fat.
Anaerobic cardio exercises are those which exceed the ability of oxygen metabolic pathways to keep up with the muscular demands, eg sprinting, weight-lifting (yes, resistance exercises do stress the heart), and other high-intensity exercises like calisthenics. Anaerobic exertions build up lactic acid in muscle, hence the burn - but burn has nothing directly to do with any benefit other than maybe encouraging muscles to increase their glycogen storage. Almost any aerobic exercise can be made anaerobic by increasing intensity. This can not be sustained for very long, at most a couple or a few minutes. Cellular machinery cannot keep up with the demand.
Any exercise that leaves you limp, gasping, or burning pain after a brief time has probably become anaerobic. Good stuff, and more likely to be building rather than maintaining. This is why, for the Cardio piece of the Conditioning Triad, we recommend interval cardio (HIIT) for efficiency instead of endless aerobic cardio. The sprints will get your heart rate way up but only for a brief (30-60 seconds) while.
Men seem to have an innate preference for anaerobic exercise, women for aerobic. That's statistical only and I have no idea what relevance it has to anything.
The physiology of aerobic and anaerobic cellular metabolism is interesting, and miraculous. Minimal Bio education needed to understand it.
Not necessarily a recommendation, but for "cardio" I do two approx 20 min sets of HIIT per week and about a total of 80 mins of calisthenics each week. (Plus my 2 hrs of weights.) Feels like a good balance.
These are quite closely-related experiences, aren't they? I think in terms of lions.
Watching a lion chase a gazelle is exciting. Being chased by a lion is fear. Having a similar feeling with no lion is anxiety. Something like that. The point is that context matters quite a bit in how we label these things.
Another point is how the term "anxiety" is often applied to normal variations in people to medicalize something. Example: "I am afraid to meet and mingle with people" vs. "I have social anxiety." Same thing, sounds different.
This is all terribly oversimplified. And so is this cute presentation below, but it makes some good points.
Trump is such a narcissist he thought he could be a successful real estate developer. Then he was for decades. Trump is such a narcissist he thought he could be a successful author. Then he was, several times. Trump is such a narcissist he thought he could be a successful reality tv show host. Then he was, for many, many seasons. Trump is such a narcissist he thought he could be a successful national candidate, then he was, defeating 17 professional politicians, including Jeb! and $120 million.
As they might say in TX, it ain't narcissism if you do it.
”When in the course of human events…” Well, we’ve reached that course.
Hillary Clinton is corrupt and corrupting of everyone she touches. President Obama has engaged in outrageous executive conduct so often as to be numbing. Those in powerful positions throughout this administration behave like lawless thugs and keep getting away with it. The courts have been packed with judges who find excuses to not enforce the laws or who create ones out of ideology contrary to intent. The major media shamelessly look away or cover up for the lawless and abusers, and seek every opportunity – or blow out of proportion every trivial thing – to damn opponents of the regime. Much of the Republicans in office lack the guts or integrity to fight back, outside of mewing noises.
Where does that leave us now?
The Tea Party movement occurred at a point in time between elections, and succeeded in electing many who promised to be better. Some have been. Many have been useless or become tools. Now, it is election time, and the demonstration we require is at the ballot box.
Donald Trump is far from the perfect leader. But, then it takes someone with gumption and determination who will not be intimidated to take on the rot that permeates our government and self-appointed ruling class. And, Trump is the only revolution we have available.
Anyone deserves the end of our once-renowned Republic who stays home or turns coat or otherwise fails to stand up for recovering an America with basic laws and justice, an America which is not beholden to those who would exploit the government for self-aggrandizement or profits, an America with justice for all which does not favor the wealthy or powerful sycophants of state power.
Donald Trump is not George Washington. But he’s the only revolution we have, and very probably our last chance. I have faith in the American people who will bring us back from tottering over the brink of ruination to make it work when Trump is elected.
Get out and work for local candidates and for Trump. Otherwise, be part of the ruination. It's that simple and brutal a truth.
We posted Paul Simon this weekend. He lives in New Canaan, CT which is a slightly-distant NYC suburb. Who else lives there? Keith Richards! Of all people.
Those two, plus many other celebs, can be seen pushing their carts through the market in the village with no special attention paid. Connecticut is not Hollywood. Some rich celebs do not care about taxes, and just want a quiet, homey place to live where they can take a town car to the city whenever they want some fun.
Around here the hydrangeas come into bloom now, just after the roses' first blooms have faded.
1930s New York 
How to
Aerobic exercise (often aka Aerobic Cardio) is much disparaged these days, but it is not entirely useless as one component of fitness. It's roughly defined as exercises that keep one's heart rate elevated significantly for extended lengths of time (ie 20 minutes plus, but around 20 is enough for the benefits), and physiologically defined as exercises in which oxygen supply can keep up with metabolic demand. Thus jogging, running, swimming, rowing, biking etc. Eventual fatigue in these exertions has to do with depletion of muscle glycogen supplies or plain muscular inadequacy.
New book reveals
Image via