Friday, December 10. 2021
 Yellowstone appeals to a nation of soft hands. The show reminds us of a time when men knew how to do more
Two all-purpose pieces of advice: small groups and mentors
Oregon school forcing kindergarteners to eat lunch outside in the cold due to COVID
The Anti-Israel Movement on U.S. Campuses, 2020-2021
CAIR’s Antisemitism Fails to Draw Media Scrutiny
Well, it turns out that Americans are getting wise to fake hate crimes.
ABIGAIL SHRIER: What I told the students of Princeton: Show some self-respect and reclaim your freedom.
Kamala Harris Blasts America at Biden's "Democracy Summit"
The 'Woke' Got What They Wanted -- And Then What?
The Conventional Wisdom on Hispanic Voters Was Completely Wrong
America’s Seventies Show—the Sequel. The stage is set for an economic replay.
Thursday, December 9. 2021
Why the Russiagate Scandal Outranks the Rest
Journalist-Authors Isikoff, Corn Fell For Danchenko's Mythical Dossier Source
Wednesday, December 8. 2021
In parts of Italy (northern, mainly) mashed potatoes are a common accompaniment. I happen to be a big fan of them. Anyway, we happened to have a lunch on the Campo in Siena with some mashed with both courses by happy accident. Classic Italian food:
Primo: Artichoke Pie (wow-good) which came with a little side of mashed. That's pancetta on top of the goat cheese on top of the pie.
Secondo: Cinghiale stew with a side of mashed
Nice lunch. Yes, we share them so it's not as much as it seems. Whatever we order, we split each course. Restaurants are fine with that.
Photo above is Edith Traina at age 97. A youthful 97 for sure due to many years of fitness pursuits. I think those are 50 lb. plates so she is lifting 145 lbs. Not bad for 97.
You can join that organization AARP at age 50, so I guess that's "mature." Another measure of seriously "mature" is if you remember Jack LaLanne - the Godfather of American Fitness.
Should "mature" people (50-80+) do powerlifts? Of course, and should push the weight as possible. The Maggie's General Fitness protocol calls for heavy weights only twice weekly but that's partly because it's designed to fit in all of the other aspects of fitness.
However, a group of people, whether mature or youth, male, female or confused, care mostly about building or maintaining strength and physical sturdiness. Getting buff and sexy. Like people who only want to run, they are not after balanced fitness. To each his or her own although I will debate you on the value of the single road (and Mark Rippetoe and Glenn Reynolds might debate me back).
For mature adults who want to focus only on strength, 3 days/week of heavy weights is right with the emphasis on powerlifts. In fact, I can see some value in myself occasionally taking two months to do heavy weights 3/wk to see if I can get past my current plateau. Especially in winter when hiking on ice is not fun or even sensible. Hmmm. I have to mention, though, that I had a pal who climbed Mt. Washington in January. Kudos to him, for sure. Tough SOB, Vietnam vet. Once was enough for him to check that off his bucket list.
Powerlifting Workout for Old Guys
One cool sort of place they have in Italian towns are Bar Pasticcerias. A "bar" in Italy basically means a coffee joint like small Starbucks, but a Bar Pasticceria means they are serious about pastries. Besides outdoor cafes for watching the scene, I love the old, atmospheric Bar Pasticcerias where they do the usual, but also serve "light" lunches like a big tray of miscellaneous norceria with cheeses, wine, beer, and even cocktails. Some have a good selection of single malts. That's a 1 hr+ lunch, and you never want dinner. I can't remember the name of our favorite place.
You get to watch the old guys going in to pick up some dessert and having a glass of wine or some grappa while waiting. Also, elderly women with packages coming in to pick up some dessert, and having a glass of wine while waiting. Civilized. A place like that in Greenwich Village or Soho would be busy and make a lot of money.
Below a nice shop for Italian stuff. Remember that shops close during midday, then stay open until 9 or later. And restaurants don't begin serving dinner until 8.
Tuesday, December 7. 2021
Could Viagra reduce Alzheimer’s risk?
Correlation or causation, or just one of the 50+ percent of medical studies which turn out to be wrong?
Regardless of the above, Cialis and Viagra are good for guys who can use it. You are not dead yet. By coincidence, some might recall that Bob Dole did some of the first TV ads for Viagra. Good for him.
Politicians are the same all over: they promise to build a bridge even where there is no river.
Nikita Khrushchev, Russian Soviet politician
At Quillette, Work or Welfare?
As early as 1995, author Jeremy Rifkin suggested that automation would eliminate work for most and create the basis for a society where “large numbers of people could be liberated from long hours in the formal marketplace.” This would allow them to focus on “leisure activities,” a kind of technological utopia for the masses.
..It’s a compelling vision in some ways, but right now it looks dystopic...
Monday, December 6. 2021
Last time we checked (I do not know how we did it), our readership was 60/40% men/women. Also, but not relevant to the topic, our average age of readership was 45. I have no idea about how to get such stats now and it doesn't matter.
Let's say you are a guy, and you know your wife "needs" a Prada bag. Get her one. She can exchange it if she doesn't like it. Ha - reader reminds me that they are free in San Francisco. Cool.
Readers know from past postings that we prefer tickets and trips for presents (with the very rare exceptions of my birthday car and her birthday boat - no more of that is likely cuz her new bedroom fireplace is last on that list). Opening presents is mainly for kids except for diamonds and gold.
One thing anybody might like as a present is a hiking trip. Montana is great, so is Sedona or the Dolomites. Or just the White Mountains of New Hampshire. Backroads has tons of good hiking or biking tours ($), but we really got a kick out of our Wilderness Scotland Outer Hebrides trip. Small (10) group from all over the world, energetic people but not kids, superb Scots guide, semi-rustic places to stay. Kippers and Haggis for breakfast. Bring rain gear.
Carpe diem. Life is short.
An appreciation of Bob Dole
GETTING MINDS RIGHT AT YALE: THE AYRES REPORT
Attempts To Cancel Coastal Carolina University Prof Steve Earnest Were Worse Than We Knew
Bloomberg doubles down on his most important legacy: charter schools
Manhattan workers warned not to use public transit. Is this the new normal?
How looting turned the most upscale part of San Francisco into a ghost town
Chicago is what happens when a culture loses its moral grounding
Why Woke Organizations All Sound the Same - Understanding the sociology of organizations
Ilhan Omar part of 'systemic' anti-Semitism, a 'civil rights issue of epic proportions'
RUSSIA HOAX WHITEWASH ERA BEGINS
The Media Inverts Reality in the Kenosha and Waukesha Cases. They want to advance the narrative that white people hate black people.
Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H., issued a warning to the Supreme Court days before oral arguments in a potential landmark abortion case, claiming that a “revolution” will take place if the high court overturns existing precedent.
Sunday, December 5. 2021
Via NYROB, a new, beautifully edited volume of Robert Frost’s letters finds him at the height of his artistic powers while suffering a series of losses almost unimaginable to the fortunate among us.
Would you ever stoop to using a pre-lit fake Christmas tree? I always felt that it was a sort of blasphemy, but those decorated trees are pagan anyway. Balsam Hill has the best. Very cheerful, if you want your house to look like a bank lobby.
But where do you store the darn thing? They are not cheap.
"Liberals have invented whole college majors -- psychology, sociology and women's studies -- to prove that nothing is anybody's fault."
P. J. O'Rourke, via Nothing is Anybody's Fault
Luke 3:1-6
3:1 In the fifteenth year of the reign of Emperor Tiberius, when Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea, and Herod was ruler of Galilee, and his brother Philip ruler of the region of Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias ruler of Abilene,
3:2 during the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John son of Zechariah in the wilderness.
3:3 He went into all the region around the Jordan, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins,
3:4 as it is written in the book of the words of the prophet Isaiah, "The voice of one crying out in the wilderness: 'Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.
3:5 Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be made low, and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough ways made smooth;
3:6 and all flesh shall see the salvation of God.'"
Saturday, December 4. 2021
My closest CVS has set up four self-service kiosks this week. The gal showed me how they work, which is simple.
I was in there early to grab some notebooks. I asked her why they appeared. "We can't find workers."
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There seems to be a shortage of links this holiday season. Or are we missing everything?