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.
One of the most refreshing things about Trump’s address—it is characteristic of his speeches—was his frankness. At the U.N., this had a positive as well as a critical side. On the positive side, I found it a breath of fresh air to hear an American president celebrate the achievements of America.
“The United States of America,” Trump said, “has been among the greatest forces for good in the history of the world, and the greatest defenders of sovereignty, security, and prosperity for all.” This is the simple truth, but I do not recall hearing such sentiments from the White House in recent years.
The "Days Of Awe" begin with Rosh Hashanah and end 10 days later with Yom Kippur. These High Holy Days are a period of intense soul and behavior searching, and repentance only comes from abject admission of sins, earnest apologies and restitution to those harmed or needlessly offended, and a strict course of reform. It is appropriate that the Torah portion of this week is Deuteronomy 32.1-35.52. Moses is denied entry into Israel due to his prior sins and he is instructed by G-d to recite a poem to the Hebrews to remind them that if they stray from G-d they may lose G-d's favor.
This period and warning are not applicable just for a day, or a week, or even a year. The warning is applicable throughout our lives. This isn't to say that any of us will not fail from time to time but that the course of getting back on track is clear, is within out own power and responsibility, and does not come from or depend on absolution by G-d.
... the electoral college seemed loaded for the Democrats from the get-go, as it has been for many recent years. It is they who begin each Presidential race with California (55 votes), New York (29), Illinois (20), Massachusetts (11), Washington (12), and New Jersey (14) locked up. Add after-thoughts like Oregon (7), Rhode Island (4), Connecticut (7), Delaware (3), District of Columbia (3), Hawaii (4), and Vermont (3), and the Democrats begin the race with 172 electoral votes. The winning candidate needs 270 of the 538 total electors to win, so the race begins with the Democrat needing to secure only 98 of the remaining 366 to hit payday. Even if one concedes that Texas and smaller conservative states like Alabama, Mississippi, Idaho, and Montana are predetermined for the Republicans, the odds for a Democrat to win the electoral college from the remaining pot of states that legitimately remain “in play” remain overwhelming. Republicans mope with fellow conservatives over those odds every four years, viewing each approaching Presidential contest glumly. For those looking beyond the forthcoming bi-elections with 20/20 vision, it still seems unfair...
I did think about Johnny Reb as some poor farmer's son valiantly taking up arms to fight a northern invasion of his homeland. Not romanticizing it entirely, just a bit, but I hate, hate, hate that avoidable war.
... my response to a statue you don't approve of is "So put up your own statue." Or even more to the point "Go do something that is worthy of commemoration in that way. No one is stopping you, with your own mixed bag of moral history, from going and doing something heroic or laudable."
However, Lifton's career has been about expanding his professional role from his office to the larger world. Big mistake. The truth is that we in the shrinkology fields have a terrible time just trying to understand one person in our office. When it comes to strangers, or the larger world, we are as much amateur opinion-vendors as anybody else.
Maybe it's Lifton's grandiosity (but I am doing the same thing to him now) but, more likely, it's pure political animosity from disappointed Hillary fans. About half the country voted for The Donald so maybe we (I include myself, voted for him with a mix of disgust and delight, choosing Buffoon over Wicked Witch, but few of my colleagues have admitted to doing so) are all nuts. After all, Trump is just a messenger.
Using diagnoses as projectiles is simply rotten behavior. If you hate somebody, just say so in plain English. Recent history shows that ploys like Lifton's have been most obviously directed towards Goldwater, Nixon, Reagan. Any pattern?
These two upper-body calisthenics are classics for good reason - they are simple, and efficient by stressing many muscle groups. These are mainly guy exercises, because males have greater, or greater potential, upper body strength and power than most women (so women commonly do assisted pull-ups and knee push-ups. But women have boobs, so there's that...).
I've been focusing on Push-ups lately because our Saturday morning class expects 200 of them in the course of an exercise session (for the guys and the gals). That's a lot, for me anyway, with or without my shoulder's damn traumatic arthritis. "Push-ups are basic strength-building total body exercises that strengthen the upper body and improve the core strength. Several muscle groups in the chest, arms, shoulder, triceps, back, and neck work simultaneously during a push-up." Yes, you tense your core (belly and back) like a board, but you have to breathe too. Little puffs.
Here's a simple challenge program to get you to 60 pushups in one go - or at least in one day. A healthy male under age 75 or 80 can quickly get to 50 pushups in a row, and work up from there if they want. Lots of guys aim to do 100 in a row. Why not 99?
Next, inclined pull-ups, aka inverted rows. These are mainly back, but secondarily shoulder and arm stressors (as are dumbell rows). Like regular pull-ups, you can do these overhand or underhand. I do them with TRX straps and alternate overhand and underhand.
RegularPull-ups are primarily back muscle exercises (you do not pull with your arms - you thrust your elbows down with your back muscles). Chin-ups (palms facing you) engage more arm strength. Unassisted pullups are difficult for most middle-aged men, and for most women. Some tips for working up to your first pull-up.
If a guy can do 10 pull-ups, he's got darn good upper body fitness. I can't - but I could when I was 16. I will try but I doubt I will get to ten again. I saw a middle-aged gal do three sets of ten (unassisted) last week. She was a fit lady, no bulging muscles at all and only slight kipping.
The thing about exercises with multiple muscle groups is that the weak link fails first. Thus, to make your back work hard with pull-ups, you need to be able to keep a hold on to the darn bar with your forearms. Many humans are like T-Rex: puny arms, strong thighs.
18:21 Then Peter came and said to him, "Lord, if another member of the church sins against me, how often should I forgive? As many as seven times?"
18:22 Jesus said to him, "Not seven times, but, I tell you, seventy-seven times.
18:23 "For this reason the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his slaves.
18:24 When he began the reckoning, one who owed him ten thousand talents was brought to him;
18:25 and, as he could not pay, his lord ordered him to be sold, together with his wife and children and all his possessions, and payment to be made.
18:26 So the slave fell on his knees before him, saying, 'Have patience with me, and I will pay you everything.'
18:27 And out of pity for him, the lord of that slave released him and forgave him the debt.
18:28 But that same slave, as he went out, came upon one of his fellow slaves who owed him a hundred denarii; and seizing him by the throat, he said, 'Pay what you owe.'
18:29 Then his fellow slave fell down and pleaded with him, 'Have patience with me, and I will pay you.'
18:30 But he refused; then he went and threw him into prison until he would pay the debt.
18:31 When his fellow slaves saw what had happened, they were greatly distressed, and they went and reported to their lord all that had taken place.
18:32 Then his lord summoned him and said to him, 'You wicked slave! I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me.
18:33 Should you not have had mercy on your fellow slave, as I had mercy on you?'
18:34 And in anger his lord handed him over to be tortured until he would pay his entire debt.
18:35 So my heavenly Father will also do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother or sister from your heart."
My theory is that the purpose of higher ed is to prepare people for those Great Courses. These can enrich your life forever. Buy them when they are on sale, and trade them with friends and neighbors. That's what people do.
I buy most of my outdoor and work-out gear from them. Socks too. Do I care whether I have this year'sNike crossfitsneakersor New Balance running sneakers, or last year's model? And do I really care what color my sweat-wicking workout shirts are? Nope. I'll gladly take the leftovers, ugly or not. If it's 1/3 retail, I'm happy.
Why do I buy crossfit-style sneakers from Nike? Because for weights, and most other exercise things, you don't want a heel and you want a thin sole. As close to barefoot as possible. For road running, which I believe is a bad idea, running sneakers. I use running sneakers as summer outdoor easy work shoes. I wear them out fast. In summertime, I only use serious work boots when chain-sawing or similar things.
To our readers in the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico: Be safe and hang in there. 
These two upper-body calisthenics are classics for good reason - they are simple, and efficient by stressing many muscle groups. These are mainly guy exercises, because males have greater, or greater potential, upper body strength and power than most women (so women commonly do assisted pull-ups and knee push-ups. But women have boobs, so there's that...).
Who Can Afford