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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Sunday, December 8. 2019Fine ArtA banana duct-taped to a wall was sold for $120,000 at Art Basel Miami 2 hour painting he made during a live paint-off last night Wow. Like Bob Ross.
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From today's Lectionary: He will baptise you with the Holy Spirit and fireMatthew 3:1-12 3:1 In those days John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness of Judea, proclaiming, 3:2 "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near." 3:3 This is the one of whom the prophet Isaiah spoke when he said, "The voice of one crying out in the wilderness: 'Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.'" 3:4 Now John wore clothing of camel's hair with a leather belt around his waist, and his food was locusts and wild honey. 3:5 Then the people of Jerusalem and all Judea were going out to him, and all the region along the Jordan, 3:6 and they were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. 3:7 But when he saw many Pharisees and Sadducees coming for baptism, he said to them, "You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? 3:8 Bear fruit worthy of repentance. 3:9 Do not presume to say to yourselves, 'We have Abraham as our ancestor'; for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children to Abraham. 3:10 Even now the ax is lying at the root of the trees; every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 3:11 "I baptize you with water for repentance, but one who is more powerful than I is coming after me; I am not worthy to carry his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. 3:12 His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor and will gather his wheat into the granary; but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire." Saturday, December 7. 2019Being Leonardo
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Saturday morning linksVanderleun's update on the fire Abandoned Alaska child, 5, carries toddler a half-mile in sub-zero temps in socks, light clothes: police Climate: How Wrong Can One Article Be? Is the inequality of intelligence increasing? Los Angeles Is Spending Over $1 Billion To House the Homeless. It's Failing. It's not the buildings... Terrorism Probe Opened After Pensacola Shooter IDed As Saudi National Mohammed Alshamrani; Was There For Pilot Training Ninth Circuit Lifts Injunctions Blocking Trump Admin’s ‘Public Charge’ Rule for Immigrants Rashida Tlaib Headlined Anti-Semitic Hate Fest - Other speakers have compared Israel to white supremacists, rapists Americans defy experts by thriving NYT: Yeah, Everything We Knew About The Jobs Market Was Wrong The Democrats insist that President Trump is a threat to the republic, although no one can explain why. Meanwhile, their mantra has gone from “It’s the economy, stupid” to “Economy? What’s that?” MANDARIN MEDIA NOT EVEN TRYING TO HIDE THEIR BIAS ANYMORE Rush: Dems Motivated by 'Pure Raw Hatred' WaPo Columnist Suggests Melania Trump Is Sending ‘Coded Messages’ With Fashion Choices Pelosi/Schiff Abuse Worsens, FBI “Finds” Clinton Emails, PLUS 5 NEW JW Lawsuits Against Deep State GOP senators seek records on 'connection' between Dem operatives, Ukrainian officials in 2016 VDH: When Our Guardians Fail Us Is Warren Over? Elizabeth Warren Would Rather Make You Fix Your Terrible Public School Than Let You Send Your Kid to a Charter School "You don't like the building? You think it's old and decaying? Then get out there and push to get a new one," she said. It's not the buildings. Abe Lincoln did pretty well in a log school Impeachment Is A Flop For Democrats. So Is Their Presidential Field. John Kerry Joins Joe Biden on Iowa Bus Tour – Kerry Touts Biden as Messianic Figure Who Can ‘Save the World’ Rep. Al Green: After This Flops, We Will Impeach Him Again Party of Permanent Impeachment: Democrats do their part to re-elect Trump Jonathan Turley writes that he was "a tad naive in hoping that an academic discussion on the history and standards of it might offer a brief hiatus from hateful rhetoric on both sides." Pelosi: If We Don’t Proceed With Impeachment, We’re Letting Trump Act Like A King Hillary Clinton: Trump Incited Mass Shootings At Synagogues, Churches And Walmart… The Moral Case For Decoupling From China NATO is obsolete Friday, December 6. 2019Navigating the new MoMAI haven't been yet. Happy to go, tho. The Whitney, however, is not my cup of tea.
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Final Squat and Deadlift Week post: Improvement is so darn slow
After the neuromuscular system wakes up and is ready for action, progress slows down a lot. Physical architecture, frailties, and age are of course possible obstacles too. Lack of progress, and plateaus, can be discouraging with large muscle group strength. I think my max 1-rep deadlift has only increased by about 20 lbs in the past year. 2020 will improve by 10 lbs, maybe, because I am fighting ageing. Small muscles improve more quickly (eg arms, but even backs improve fairly quickly - pullups)). In my experience, the aspects of fitness that improve most dramatically and quickly in the Maggie's Fitness for Life program are endurance and energy. Precious things. Two days of weights/wk is not enough for serious strength-building, but the part of our program with 2 days of calis and the 2 days of HIIT cardio will get you fit for most recreational activities like sports, day-long hill hiking, etc. Any age or gender. Give it a try. Include the barbells. A good Christmas/New Year present to oneself is a badass sexy and highly functional physique but, God knows, it takes discipline. Nothing pleasant about it except the slow progress. I have a retired friend who has taken on learning Mandarin as his retirement project. I'd rather face a nasty, ugly barbell.
Friday morning linksThe Mystery at the Center of the Solar System - A spacecraft has finally gotten close enough to the sun to gather clues about some lingering questions. How to Lose Friends and Alienate People Just "be yourself" GM Crops Like Golden Rice Will Save the Lives of Hundreds of Thousands of Children Trannies: A Tyrannical Minority and Silent Majority A Divisive, Historically Dubious Curriculum - Teachers should reject the 1619 Project. Another Fake Crisis — the College Hunger Hoax Trump's tax cuts reduce US burden to one of lowest in the world. Taxes in France and Denmark are nearly twice what they are in the US The war against wealth and saving: The Confiscation Is the Point Poll: Fans of Bernie Sanders, Liz Warren Oppose Free Speech, Want Jail Time for Speech Offender That is deeply offensive to me The 10 most important revelations to expect from the Russia probe FISA report Mueller witness bragged about access to Clintons secured with illegal campaign cash, says Justice Department ROGER KIMBALL: ON THE Russia Hoax OMERTÀ We have Lincoln to blame for the mess we’re in WaPo: How Can We Journalists Better Convince The Public To Support Impeachment? More: Former NYT "Public Editor," Now WaPo Hack: How Can We, The Unbiased Fact-Finding Media, Convince Our Deplorable Fellow Citizens to Do What We Want and Impeach This Motherf***er? TIME Contributor Says 'Nancy Pelosi Reminds Me of Jesus' Impeachment Power Can Be Abused, Too Democrats Plot Impeaching Trump Multiple Times, Including If He Wins Re-Election: ‘No Limit To The Number Of Times The House Can Vote To Impeach’ Honey Badger don't give a sh-t. Kimberley Strassel and Sharyl Attkisson DROP the MSM for giving Schiff a pass for SPYING on a member of the press Impeachment hearing: Nothing is more convincing than liberal professors yelling at you Chris Wallace Criticizes Dems for Refusing to Call on Republican Impeachment Witness: ‘Not a Search for Justice or Wisdom’ Democrats Argue that Obama Should Have Been Impeached FRANCE PARALYZED BY STRIKES, VIOLENCE Do the French have a work ethic? Seems like they expect money for nuthin. Report: Iran stashing missiles in Iraq that can reach Israel. Iran stockpiling ballistic missiles in Iraq with long enough range to reach Israel. Religion of peace Germany: All EU Members Must Take in Migrants The German Empire, aka EU, strikes back Our problems with Turkey aren’t due to Trump, or Obama, or any other President. Put the blame where it belongs: with Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and his choices. Thursday, December 5. 2019Squats and Deadlifts Week, post # 4What Muscles Do Squats Target? In my view, squats are not as total-body as deadlifts. Anyway, best to do both because synergy. Barbell squats are of course the best stressor for building or maintaining lower body strength, but there are plenty of squat exercises in the Calisthenic category that are worth doing in a Calisthenics routine: Goblet squats Why Calisthenics category? Because they are lower stress, mainly aerobic endurance things that can be done daily without more than 24 hr recovery.
Thursday morning linksWoman's 'Peloton girl' spoof goes viral on Twitter Do not give her one unless she asks for it College Fix research on Rhodes Scholarships featured on NRO FIRE: SPOTLIGHT ON SPEECH CODES 2020 Madrid Climate Meeting Is The Point Of No Return Academic suggests UN use military to enforce climate agenda Delaying Climate Action Could Threaten Democracy ENGLAND: School Principal Bans Christmas Cards Citing Environmental Concerns Colleges Bristle as Judges, DeVos Push Protections for the Accused Melania Trump: Lawyer who invoked Barron Trump's name for laughs at impeachment hearing 'should be ashamed' Obamas pay $11.75M for Martha’s Vineyard home on nearly 30 acres: report CNBC To NYT Reporter: How Can You Defend Bloomberg’s Coverage Ban? Check This One Pic Of How Egregious Media Bias Is Hillary Says She Has Been 'Deluged' With Requests to Run for President Again Is someone gonna ask the Clintons about all those trips to Epstein's 'cowboy village'? Harris’s Exit Preserves Viability As A Potential Vice President That is obviously her play Lisa Page Text to Peter Strzok: ‘You get all our oconus lures approved? ;)’ Collins: Come On, This Useless Judiciary Hearing Is Just A “Rubber Stamp” For Schiff Jonathan Turley Destroys Dems Claims Of An Impeachable Offense Andy McCarthy on new rhetoric shift from Dems: Abuse of power can be used to impeach any president Trump's Canny Diplomatic and Psychological Feints on the International Stage 88 ORGS TO SEC. DEVOS: DON’T LET FEDERALLY-FUNDED MIDDLE EAST STUDIES CENTERS IMPLEMENT ACADEMIC BDS Wednesday, December 4. 2019Squat and Deadlift Week, post #3: How many deads?
How Many Reps of Deadlifts Should I Do When I Workout? (Ignore that guy's mention of lifting belts- he's in another league of lifting.) 5X5 is one standard, but it depends on your goals same as everything else in life. Just one set of 5X5/wk is better than nothing but will not be enough to become a powerful lifter. Because my goal is to maximize general fitness, endurance, and energy, and to minimize deterioration rather than to become a serious powerlifter, I alternate every couple of weeks between 5X5 heavy, and 8-rep pyramids of, say, 6X8. I also throw in one set of rack lifts/wk to work on my sticking point with my max lifts. Why not? It's just more mental and physical challenge. It builds character and sex appeal. Remember that when we discuss weight training we mean to integrate it into the Maggie's Fitness for Life program which means approximately 2 days calisthenics, 2 days weight training, and 2 days of cardio with lots of HIIT. Around 6-7 hrs/wk, not including sports and recreation. Also, appropriate nutrition for fitness of course. No promise you'll live longer, but guarantee you'll live better and look better. Wednesday morning linksImage borrowed from...I forget where. Britain's First Transgender Couple to Allow Their 5-Year-Old Child To Begin Transition Nice family What Happened To Drudge? ‘1917’ is a haunting, technical marvel and one of Hollywood’s best war films It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas all around the White House And the "unattractive, misshapen trolls" don't like Melania's coat. I think she is dynamite. Is Cebu the most typical city in the world? Fewer, bigger businesses is just what the central planners want They can be controlled 102 Media Mistakes in the Trump Era: The Definitive List Codevilla: A Deplorable Strategy Beyond 2020 - In 2016 and since, we have learned that our ruling class has amassed the power and developed the taste to revel in making us miserable. We have also learned that to avoid this, we must undo or separate ourselves from them, their structures, and priorities. Democrats Now ‘Say Out Loud’ Intent to Turn America Blue by Immigration Importing votes. It's a step above buying votes. 9th Circuit grapples with nationwide injunctions in 2 cases. Both involve Trump administration immigration policies. Good Riddance to Kamala Harris Warren Says Her Wealth Tax Will ‘Cancel Student Loan Debt for 43 Million Americans. Shorter Comrade Warren: More free stuff! Another way of forcing the parents and grandparents to pay for it Bloomberg Ripped Over Recent Interview on China, Saying ‘Xi Jinping Is Not a Dictator’ Schiff Gets Phone Records Of John Solomon, Devin Nunes And His Aide, Rudy Giuliani And Lev Parnas. Talk about truly troubling action. That is war AG Bill Barr Refutes IG Horowitz’s Conclusion that FBI had Rationale to Spy on Trump Campaign Not the Deep State, the Deep Industry - Why Beltway government workers are at the center of the impeachment crisis. Without the Soviet Union, NATO Seems Increasingly Irrelevant. No number of NATO summits will re-energize an alliance against an enemy that went out of business nearly 30 years ago. Yep. That's why Euroland doesn't pay up. We should be pals with Russia, these days. Trump’s Foreign Policy: The Popping Point of Maximum Pressure UK Labour Party omits Jews from campaign video promoting minority rights New York Times Tries Explaining Away British Labour’s Antisemitism Turkey's Open Secret: Fake Secularism Teens from China's wealthiest regions rank top of the class in global education survey Genetic IQ advantage. Not fair. SnowRocky Mountain High. From a reader skiing in Loveland, CO yesterday. I'd love to be there now because that is really living to the fullest. My quads, glutes, and hammies are fit for more skiing. Probably needs to be a guys' trip, though. Many wives seem to have lost interest in this Tuesday, December 3. 2019Squat and Deadlift Week, #2Tuesday morning linksMarriage: In truth, she is a terrible person Real Men Don’t Need Tampons The Intoxicating History of Gin - The current gin craze knows no bounds, but the British have been imbibing the stuff for hundreds of years, sometimes with disastrous results. What if there is no Climate Emergency ? Scott Adams Has Some Ideas for a Calmer Internet "Medicare-for-All": UK Socialized Medicine Lists Hernia Repair as "Unnecessary Treatment" Media Pulls UN Report After Finding Record-High Child Detentions Took Place Under Barack Obama not Trump James O'Keefe at the Freedom Center's Restoration Weekend - ABC's cover-up of the Epstein story unveiled. Over 300 Trump Video Ads Taken Down by Google and YouTube Trump campaign to blacklist Bloomberg News In Appeal to Hard Left, Bloomberg Praises Chinese Communism Psychiatrists Organize Campaign to Declare Trump 'Dangerous,' Back Impeachment That'll swing a lot of votes... Do The Democrats Have A Death Wish? In 2020, Trump must save the cities. Progressive leadership is destroying urban America Welcome To The Potemkin Village Of Washington Power. Don't be misled: elected officials are subjugated to the national security firmament. Trump is just exposing it. The Sensible Solution To Africa’s Overpopulation Problem Armed Convoy Of Cartel Members Attempted To Take Over A Mexican Town, 22 Killed European Union Set To Change Their Whole Economy With Green New Deal Push
Monday, December 2. 2019Monday morning linksImage stolen from Ace What Makes our Continents Dance? Not climate change? Millennials In Panic As Outraged Boomers Threaten To Withhold Participation Trophies Kling: Essay backup: Four rules for work and financial life Men getting weaker The Great American Eye-Exam Scam - Why is it so difficult to get a new pair of glasses or contacts in this country? It’s easier pretty much everywhere else. A Few Things To Feel Guilty About on Thanksgiving Weekend Seattle Plans to Teach Kids That Math Is Racist Minority Voters Chafe as Democratic Candidates Abandon Charter Schools - The front-runners for the presidential nomination are moving away from the charter school movement, and black and Latino families ask why their concerns are lost. “Identity is very much the ideology of the professional-managerial class.” No, Ted Cruz Is Not an Anti-Science Bigot for Opposing Trans 'Treatments' For 7-Year-Old Boy UN Chief Warns of 'Point of No Return' on Climate Change Y2Kyoto: That Was The Moment That The Rise Of The Oceans Began To Slow Prominent Historians Criticize The NY Times’ 1619 Project As ‘Biased,’ ‘Anti-Historical’ It's a screed Goodwin: The New York Times’ long descent from credibility Trump isn't a cult leader, he's a cult deprogrammer CNN Commentator Despairs That We Might Not See A President Like Jimmy Carter Again "Fire and Fury" author Michael Wolff says he's working on "nothing" — he's "embracing" "obsolescence." So sad Joe Biden Stuns Crowd by Talking about Kids Playing with His Hairy Legs and How Much He Loves Children on His Lap and Roaches… Past his sell date if he ever had one Republicans Will Live to Regret Joining Climate Alarmists ICIG Michael Atkinson Altered Whistleblower Forms to Allow for CIA Leaker – His Wife Just Happens to be Connected to Russian Collusion Hoaxer – Fusion GPS You're Not Imagining It: The Media Really Is Biased About Impeaching Donald Trump Impeachment is investigation in search of a crime The West can’t ignore China’s Xinjiang atrocities ‘Rocky’ Trump in Hong Kong — what a weird world it is Merkel To German Parliament: “Freedom Of Expression Has Its Limits” NEW VIDEO Shows How Three Men Took Down Islamic Terrorist on London Bridge – ONE WITH A NARWHAL TUSK! Scott says "And you thought I was stupid to always travel with a fire extinguisher and a Narwhal tusk." The folly of trying to curb China’s rise
Sunday morning beachIn Yankeeland
Saturday, November 30. 2019Will the Circle Be Unbroken?Saturday morning linksTHE MIRACLE OF SQUANTO’S PATH TO PLYMOUTH The Left Hates Thanksgiving, Gratitude, and Coexistence Reminiscing about CAR TALK Millennials In Panic As Outraged Boomers Threaten To Withhold Participation Trophies When did routine bad weather become such big news? Businesses (And Workers) Are Thankful For Texas As Charles Schwab Calls It Quits On California Moral grandstanding is making an argument just to boost your status. It’s everywhere. Big fat lies - The Fat Activism movement is risking lives by suppressing obesity research Despite Screaming Headlines from Fake News Media – Black Friday Shopping Frenzy BREAKS ALL RECORDS – Tops $4 Billion for First Time! St. Greta: Everyone Will Be Required To Participate In Climate Scam Alarmists Propose Rebranding ‘Climate Change’ for Greater Shock Value Study Finds Nearly All Minnesota Patients With Vaping-Related Lung Injuries Used Illegal THC Products Containing Suspect Additive Surber: Save us from those saving the world Walter Williams: Who are the racists? Bloomberg: Darned Right We Need To Tax The Poor The Media Sanitizes Spygate Again. Spying isn’t spying if liberals do it, we’re told. How Democrats Lost The Impeachment Debate. In a left versus right brain world, bureaucrats and careerists have no chance against the Trumpist opposition. Trump Mocks Newsweek Over Story On His Thanksgiving Plans… Why Hong Kong loves the USA French Prosecutors Drop Charges Against Muslim Screaming “Allahu Akbar” Who Beat Elderly Jewish Woman and Tossed Her from 3rd Floor Balcony – Cuz He Was High on Pot China, Fentanyl, And The New Opium War Sending Military Aid To Ukraine In The First Place Was A Mistake, And Congress Should Discontinue It Saturday Verse: Henry Wadsworth LongfellowThe Village Blacksmith UNDER a spreading chestnut tree His hair is crisp, and black, and long, Week in, week out, from morn till night, And children coming home from school He goes on Sunday to the church, It sounds to him like her mother's voice, Toiling,—rejoicing,—sorrowing, Thanks, thanks to thee, my worthy friend, Friday, November 29. 2019Old-fashioned toys for kids
Do the young'uns these days live on their ipads and junk like that? It's a damn shame. If you have kids, or grandkids, let's get back to good toys and things which add real life, vs virtual life, to real living. I am thinking of blocks, pick-up-sticks, wooden train sets, Legos, Chess (can be learned at 5), board games, card games, etc. Poker should be learned as young as possible, because it's part of life. Books at their levels, of course. Real books. Older kids, BB guns, bows and arrows, etc. By age 10-13, fishing rods, 28 ga shotguns, .22s, and big boy and girl toys like that. Everything imaginable is on Amazon. What ideas do our readers have for kids, for Christmas things?
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Friday morning linksColin Dowler Fought Off a Grizzly with a Small Pocketknife Doing Opera, by Jonathan Miller (RIP) 5 Steps You Can Take Now to Increase Your Resilience When You're Going Through Hell 10 Things Climate Alarmists Don't Want You to Be Thankful For Can You Trust What Medical Journals Publish? WHY “GREEN” ENERGY IS A TERRIBLE IDEA Scientists Counter Claims That ‘Meat Is Evil’ MacDonald: Why are college students so aftaid of me? The Indispensable Tucker Carlson - The popular Fox News host has given voice to the most basic—most common-sense—positions. They Voted Democratic. Now They Support Trump. President Trump Triggers Liberals, Breaks the Internet with Epic Meme The guy does comedy Time to PANIC! Byron York lays out why Schiff, Pelosi, and Democrats are REALLY rushing to impeach and it ain’t good Angela Merkel: We Will Shut Down ‘Hate Speech’ Otherwise We Will Not Have A Free Society. Who gets to decide what constitutes “hate speech?” Wednesday, November 27. 2019The Mark Steyn Climate Change ForumWednesday morning links
Photo: My dead bird was cooked on the grill over wood and charcoal. Why Do Progressives Hate Gentrification? Brilliant research says women want to look good cuz of terrible economy Virginia Students Protest Over ‘Fiesta’ Themed Party Held By Classmates, University Says It’s ‘Investigating’ the Party Prof asks teachers to combat ‘whiteness’ in art education as form of ‘reparation’ MA Town Launches Experiment To Give 16 Year Olds The Vote Having Solved All Other Problems, NYC Bans Foie Gras Washington Post: Americans Believing the Media is a "Patriotic" Duty Our moral and intellectual superiors Goodwin: Remembering when The New York Times had higher standards CNN Frets Media Not Anti-Trump Enough… Nation's Progressives Give Thanks That They Have So Much To Be Angry About This Year Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Gets Entire Solar Co. Workforce Fired After Telling Them to Unionize Dark Money Network Funneled $600 Million to Liberal Initiatives in 2018 - Democrats adopt once-derided strategy, building a massive money network that shields donors from scrutiny "Fruit Of The Poisonous Tree" - FISA Alterations Could Pose Significant Trouble For FBI Salon: Final, final Republican defense strategy for Trump: Don the tinfoil, join the conspiracy. How can we expect Republicans to judge Donald Trump fairly? At this point, nearly all of them are in on the crime Sounds like projection to me Can Europe Be Saved From Demographic Doom?
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