Maggie's FarmWe 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. |
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Saturday, October 22. 2016The Maid of the MarshIt's getting to that time of year. Identify that shotgun. Friday, October 21. 2016To conclude the Dylan WeekThis is just one of many of Bob's confessional songs (eg What Good Am I, etc). His recorded version of Every Grain of Sand is powerful but it's not on Youtube. Sweet Emmylou just makes the darkness and pain of confession a bit too sing-songy but you get the gist.
LegsIf you are an exerciser, do you do a dedicated Leg Day? Many people do. I mix leg strength in with the other items (ie Strength, Cardio, and Calisthenics) instead of doing a Leg Day. My legs are skinny and weak from a strength standpoint, but I can hike up mountains all day long and can ski all day long. However, that is Endurance, not Strength. I tend to have more Endurance than Strength. Sometimes I wonder why I want or need more leg strength, but in the end I just do what I am told like a good soldier and trust that my genius trainer has my best interest at heart. He wants to build me up but we are all limited by the physique we were given. The leg strength exercises are great for my posture. People notice that. It's that Posterior Chain of ankle-to-neck that the good deads stress the most. Mrs. BD says that when she pats me on the ass she now feels muscle instead of bone, so that is good. I deserve more spanks than pats, but whatever. I do deserve spanks when caught with tobacco even though I am part Indian and have that excuse, and sometimes I do deserve them after boys' nites out but boys have to be boys. I still need to gain 4-5 pounds of muscle and sinew and then I'll be set. Gaining the good kind of weight is not easy at all because it requires working harder than you like and eating more than you want to. I hate hard effort and I do not love eating, even in Italy. I like food when required but do not love it and enough is enough. For lower body strength, I do deadlift, barbell squat, squat and press, step-up-and-press, and lunges with weights. Except for deadlift, it is all very unpleasant. Also, calf lifts on my cardio days just for something extra to do. What about you? Fat, Satiety signals, and Insulin"A third of Americans are obese"? Really? I don't think so but I do not see very many obese people in my life. I could think that a third might be fat, though, aka "overweight." Being overweight is a bad idea because it slows you down, damages your joints, and plays a role in some diseases such as breast cancer and heart disease. Also, it is widely viewed as unattractive and as a sign of poor impulse control in Western cultures rather than a sign of prosperity as it is in some. Donald Trump "fat-shamed" his employee "Miss Piggy" for being "an eating machine." Mr. Trump, who is fat, was attacked for that by Mrs. Clinton - who is fat and getting fatter. As for fat-shaming, even your doctor will do that to you when you visit. I do not view being overweight or obese as a disease. They are physical "conditions." All behavior has physiological consequences and correlates, which does not make them diseases. We over-pathologize things these days in an effort to let people off the hook for their behavior or, sometimes, in search of an insurance code. In my view, if you do not mind being fat, that's fine. Your choice as long as you accept the consequences. Being underweight frightens me more, medically. I'll briefly discuss two physiological correlates of overweight and obesity. First, satiety. A sense of satiety is managed by chemical signals from the gut to the brain. The signals are slow to inform you that "That's sufficient." Thus fast eaters do not get the memo in time to stop. Furthermore, some people have weak signaling, or just learn to ignore the signals. Heavy-duty eaters also have expanded stomachs which are less-readily satisfied and always seem to have room for more. Recreational eating is what I call that. I think many people seem to ignore or misinterpret all sorts of physiologic signs and signals. Also, hedonism is, by definition, fun. My second physiologic correlate for today concerns insulin. An excess of carbs (more than you need to stay alive that day) gradually causes "insulin resistance." That is not diabetes, but just an adaptation to the amount of carbs a person consumes. It is discussed here. It explains how carbs effect energy levels and fat accumulation. The "Nes"
Medicare’s Next 50 YearsA detailed examination of Medicare's problems, with some ideas for fixing them. Excellent if you think you may someday reach Medicare age without private insurance: Medicare’s Next 50 Years: Preserving the Program for Future Retiree.
AcademiaLaws are for the Little People
History reminds us that Hillary was fired from the Watergate Commission staff for what? For "unethical conduct". So said her boss.
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12:54
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Penn Station
Today, it's "Lead us not into Penn Station." The news: Penn Station, Reborn? A visionary plan to restore the transit hub to its former glory as part of West Side redevelopment I am skeptical.
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05:44
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Thursday, October 20. 2016Evening TidbitsThrown election
He can hardly form a coherent thought, period. Can not make an argument. I am sure he is a good deal-maker. He has my vote, holding nose, because he has hinted at supporting things that seem important to me. Many Clinton voters will be doing the same thing - a nose-holding election.
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15:48
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"Noodle" etymology
In Soprano Country, they refer to that disgusting red tomato sauce for pasta as "gravy" as in "I'll take some more gravy for my macaroni." Generally speaking, I am not a big fan of pastas. Peasant food! Packed with Evil Gluten! Well, a small primi of pappardelle with a (fresh) porcini sauce decorated with chopped parsley is very fine so I can make some exceptions. I will admit to being a food snob when it comes to Italian. Pasta is not a meal unless you plan to run a marathon in a couple of hours. It can be a small primi but there are many sorts of primi. And cappucino is only a breakfast coffee. Italians do not eat meatballs. The best pizzas in the world are in America because we think a pizza is a meal, not the nutrition-free street snack that it is. I could go on and annoy everybody. The MindMus musculusThat is the House Mouse who, along with the Fruit Fly and E. Coli, may be the most important scientific lab animals that exist. These cute, prolific little buggers have been carried around the world from their native origin in north India. They thrive in and around human habitat and, as the temperatures cool in the Fall, they are more likely to try to settle indoors. Cats and mousetraps are made for them. It's October, and we have them now.
Belmont and FishtownI am grateful to live in a Belmont where most people aspire to be good upright contributing citizens, or at least to appear to be. A reminder of a modern sociological classic: Belmont & Fishtown - On diverging classes in the United States. (That is a link to his essay summary of the ideas in the book.) There is also a good (video) talk by Murray at that link, about the book.
Posted by The Barrister
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13:08
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Mob Awakens at Johns Hopkins
Now we have Thought Police and Science Police. We are sounding like the old Soviet Union where science had to fit the ideology.
Thursday morning linksChuck Berry, pioneer of rock and roll, celebrates 90th birthday by announcing he has a new album coming How to exit a party A biography of Diane Arbus offers a detailed portrait of an artist longing for connection Mario Batali's Italian White House menu That's the real Italian food - and no noodles either Millennial Men Rush to Restore Their Foreskins, ‘Feel Whole Again’ Sagging NFL TV ratings leave owners scrambling for answers Transgender Activists Disrupt Free Speech Rally at U. Toronto Largest Catholic University Blasts 'Unborn Lives Matter' as 'Bigotry' University of Florida offers counseling for students offended by Halloween costumes The "Muslim Hate Crimes Increase" Hoax The Slow, Painful Death of the Media's Cash Cow Obama’s Mother in Law to Get $160K Lifetime Pension for Having Babysat Her Own Granddaughters Reminder: Washington Hates America The Government Puts A Gigantic Lead Weight On The Scale Of This And Every Election The Elite "Have No Idea" - Society Is Near The Breaking Point The WSJ Warns America: "You've Been Played" BLM flag flutters over quad at ISU The Donald just not prepared for the job Dem Operative Who Oversaw Trump Rally Agitators Visited White House 342 Times Newt Gingrich on Veritas Videos: 'Where's the FBI?' FBI Document Dump Proves This Woman Has No Business Anywhere Near Power Judicial Watch: New Emails Show Hillary Clinton Contacts with Bryan Pagliano – Raise New Questions About Her Sworn Testimony Clinton sleaze is baked in the cake, makes no difference Lib Journalist Budowsky Called Out on Live TV Over His Podesta Emails CEO Of Google’s Parent Company Works Directly With Clinton Cam Trump Eviscerated Hillary in Debate #3. What Difference, at This Point, Does It Make? Hillary Is Not a "Soulless, Pragmatic Corporatist Who Will Preserve the Status Quo," as Pro-Hillary "Conservatives" Claim. She Sees Herself as a Messianic Joan of Arc to Deliver the Left's Revelation to the Earth. For the children... Clinton campaign manager: Avoid talk about Israel, to keep Democrats happy "America Has Lost" - Duterte Announces "Separation" From United States, Alligns With China Wednesday, October 19. 2016No debate for meElection is over. Hillary did not win, Trump lost a winnable contest. He lost it not because he is of below average intelligence but because he is not educable, not trainable. He is as disciplined as a 3 year-old, and that, rightly, worries people. He can't take anything seriously, and it's all about him. No serious campaign, just carney: Orange-faced Man! His opponent at least is consistent and predictable - if only consistently and predictably corrupt, venal, and dishonest. And consistently exercising poor judgement for further back than most people can remember. For what it's worth (nothing), I will vote for Trump anyway. I think he would hire good people. If I am wrong about the election, I will happily eat a few crows. But I am passing on "debate", aka The Donald Trump Show. If he were not in it, would anybody watch?
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19:10
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For long flights
I am not asking for a weight room, just some cardio machines, some light weights, some floor mats, some hard and soft boxes, some bars for pull-ups, etc. Simple but with room to move. Charge me extra. Maybe a shower too. On our upcoming flight, we are going First Class thanks to the gift of miles from my in-laws. Still I'd take a gym over the bigger seat and the legroom - because I am not a sitter. As for airplane food, regardless of class, no thanks. Grab a sandwich or a yoghurt in the airport. And they toss you this crap as if you were some starving dog in a dog shelter. When I told my trainer about this desire for airplane gyms, he emailed me the below. I think that flight was wasted without a girlfriend or wife to spice it up. This dude is a jackass:
Posted by Bird Dog
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18:03
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Functional fitnessI am all in favor of "functional fitness." Beginning around 35, the human body begins to deteriorate. Unless you are a competitive athlete, fitness is for daily life. One of my daughters was talking about fitness this weekend and opined that a Div 1 singles tennis match was a good work-out. I asked "Are you sure?" After a moment's thought she revised her opinion: No, I guess the physical training is the prep/work-out, and the competition is just the reward. Playing sports is mostly calisthenics at best. Many sports require strength and athleticism, but actually playing the game is not the same as a work-out. Think baseball, or the several seconds of effort in a football game. Training is for life and games, but they are not training. I thought this approach was interesting and it sounds even more fun than Crossfit: Get Fit Like a Wild Man: A Primer on MovNat More on MoveNat As I said, it sounds like great fun and challenge and bonding but it amounts to heavy calisthenics, which is just one of the three components, in my view, of a balanced fitness program. George Washington's Farewell AddressThe speech was delivered on Sept 19, 1796 in the nation's then-capitol of Philadelphia. While the speech embodied Washington's ideas, the actual writing was probably mostly drafted by Madison and Hamilton. Good people to have as your speechwriters. You can read it here. Why people believe they can’t draw - and how to prove they canI guess you could call it drawing. It is fun to draw along with him while you watch.
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13:44
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Wednesday morning linksHarambe Costumes Are ‘Cultural Appropriation’ Now I'm really confused A Baby With 3 Parents Has Been Born. These Are the Dangers You Should Know About. This was done for a reason - mitochondrial disorder Unraveling your parents' possessions Yes, it is emotional for most people Something I would not eat Warmists Rather Upset That Farmers Aren’t Buying Their World Ending Prognostications Administration Wants to Designate More LGBTQ Landmarks Meet the Creepy American Boy Dolls that Will Haunt Your Dreams What happened to GI Joe? The Ridiculous Crusade for Gender-Neutral Toys Climate Alarmists Try To Redefine What A Hurricane Is So We’ll Have More Of Them Can investors really continue to get more for less? Three reasons the passive-investing revolution is set to last. Does it work if everybody does it? Is Administrative Law unlawful? If you can't ask black guys whether they've been in jail, people might be reluctant to hire black guys It Sounded So Good When Government Promised To Solve All Of Our Problems Self-proclaimed media of record try their best to ignore wrongdoing by powerful liberals Gee. Really? The Casting Call For Another Anita Hill Obamacare: Citing Costs, Frustrated Doctors Say US Healthcare Headed in Wrong Direction Michelle Obama has rhythm Martin Luther King, Pussy Grabber He was famous for it CLINTON CONFUSION: Bill says ‘I’ve tried to run for her on her behalf’ Freudian slip Scandals surround Clinton´s gatekeeper at State Hillary’s Henchmen Pressured FBI on Classification of Documents Impossible to keep up with the revelations of Clintonian slime. Well, Howard Dean can’t keep up either And now there is this Big Story Hillary Clinton accused of stealing furniture from the State Department Former White House Chef: Hillary Clinton Called Black Servant the ‘N-Word’ Hillary’s State Dept security detail really hated her She's a nasty, entitled, arrogant lesbian bitch. So what? That's not news. Podesta Emails: Podesta Called Bernie Sanders A “Doofus” Got that one right Seven Clinton Policy Priorities That Would Devastate America - Staring at years 9 to 12 of the Obama administration. If that's what people want...however, I think people just wonder which is the more unpleasant individual. Only wonks worry about policy. Politics is high school. EU nations are now paying countries to take back their migrants Muslims Call for ‘Islamification’ of Sweden Geert Wilders' trial to proceed on hate charges over "fewer Moroccans" comments in 2014 campaign Tuesday, October 18. 2016Why Bob Dylan Shouldn’t Have Won a Nobel Prize
In my view, such prizes should only be for the sciences, but I am not the King of Sweden, alas. Kyle Smith makes a good case for Why Bob Dylan Shouldn’t Have Won a Nobel Prize. One quote:
Yes, they can scald and soar when he sings them. I mainly refer to his lyrics to avoid getting a mondegreen in my head. I had one with Jokerman when I thought it was "with a small dark look in his face." That was pretty good, but Dylan's was better: "...with a small dog licking his face." Sex conferenceI recently stopped by a "Different Sexualities" seminar to see what people were talking about. One of the provocative topics was whether pedophilia was a sexual orientation. Some said yes, and some said it was a latent tendency in all males. Another topic addressed rape and sexual violence. Some felt it was a sexual preference, and some claimed it was latent in all males. Sex addiction? There was no agreement about whether it even exists but it was a consensus that the Western bourgeois nuclear family was an unnatural and possibly "unhealthy" artifact of culture, economics, and male power. Also discussed were fetishes (cross-dressing, item fetishes, S&M, exhibitionism). It was made clear at the outset that anything LGBT was normal and would not be discussed to keep the meeting "safe." Whatever. How they could be sure that there were no uncomfortable pedophiles in the room, I do not know. I can not claim to be able to measure how much "polymorphous perversity" or ordinary perversity might be latent or only partially expressed in a given human, male or female, so I just listened. What struck me most, and discouraged me most, was how politicized it all became, and how quickly complex psychological issues became subsumed under feminist rubrics of "patriarchal hegemony" and "oppression." These do not enlighten, they are just cant. Contrary to some popular impressions, sexuality is not the central topic in modern Psychology, Psychiatry, or Psychoanalysis. It is just one aspect of who a person is and, generally, we are interested in all aspects of a person.
Posted by Dr. Joy Bliss
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16:47
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