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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Monday, July 9. 2018Biking and hiking in ItalyBackroads is a bit pricey, but they are excellent. The Dolomites—A Peak Experience in Italy & Austria. We've hiked quite a bit up there, but the bike trip sounds very cool if you're in shape for hill biking. I like these: Self-guided hiking trips in Italy. Cheap. The Francigena Way appeals to me.
Monday morning linksPalliative sedation, an end-of-life practice that is legal everywhere Mercy killing. It's what I will want if and when I need it Here’s What Goodwill Actually Does With Your Donated Clothes - They’re probably not going where you think. The 3 most common languages in every New York City neighborhood A Worrisome Trend for Higher Education: Declining Enrollments “I WAS DEVASTATED”: TIM BERNERS-LEE, THE MAN WHO CREATED THE WORLD WIDE WEB, HAS SOME REGRETS. Berners-Lee has seen his creation debased by everything from fake news to mass surveillance. But he’s got a plan to fix it. The Catholic Church Is Not a Political Party Trump has made colleges truly color-blind at last Racist! Wlater Williams: College Destruction Of Black Students CAMPUS LIBERALS DENOUNCE TRUMP’S SUPREME COURT PICK Whatever he does, I'm against it! The Times really doesn’t seem to understand that the federal judiciary is not supposed to play a “crucial role in shaping this nation” JESSE JACKSON SHUTS DOWN EXPRESSWAY TO PROTEST GANG MEMBERS SHOOTING EACH OTHER How Socialism Can Ruin Your Life U.S.- Mexico Border Apprehensions Down 20% In June Fauxcahontas and the crabs of Oklahoma Here’s what Democrats are campaigning on Hey, NeverTrumps, Where Would We Be with Hillary Clinton Right Now? The Colorblind Jobs Boom Under Trump Continues Hispanic-Latino Unemployment Rate Hits Lowest Level on Record in June Journalist Stops Going to the Gym. Gets Weak. Blames Trump. The Deep State Finds Its Next Target Why it’s zeroing in on Jim Jordan. Socialist Ocasio-Cortez Changes Bio After Making Misleading Statements Re Ocasio, via The Official Manhattan Contrarian Foreign Correspondent Scruton: What Trump Doesn’t Get About Conservatism Trump is not a Conservative. He's non-ideological, common-sense, dragon energy, bull in the china shop When The New York Times Loved Donald Trump Democrat Party continues to be clueless in the face of Donald Trump’s triumphs NATO Is Obsolete. "Europe is prosperous and treats America like a patsy. Let it stand on its own." THOUSANDS Protest Brutal Regime in Iran, Chant “Death to Dictator!” in 4th Day of Mass Protests Video from Germany: Muslim migrant beheads 1-year-old girl, Merkel bans media reporting The secret story of how America lost the drug war with the Taliban Sunday, July 8. 2018A good year for ChipmunksThis has been a banner year for the Eastern Chipmunk around my place and everywhere I go. I love these little buggers. Sure, they take bites of out my tomatoes (for the water, I suspect). I don't mind much. If you have stone walls, log piles, and brushy areas, they will build their tunnels. It seems like their main enemies are house cats, Black Snakes, and weasels. Since we have no roaming house cats these days (thank goodness), our friendly little chipmunks are having a good year. At this time of year, there are plenty of young ones too. They are innocent, do not seem careful enough about life. A friend of mine sits on his front porch in the evening with a whisky and a cigar, and feeds them his walnuts from his hand. Holiday week oldies: The Weight. Take load off, FannyFrom today's Lectionary: His hometownMark 6:1-13 6:1 He left that place and came to his hometown, and his disciples followed him. 6:2 On the sabbath he began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard him were astounded. They said, "Where did this man get all this? What is this wisdom that has been given to him? What deeds of power are being done by his hands! 6:3 Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary and brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon, and are not his sisters here with us?" And they took offense at him. 6:4 Then Jesus said to them, "Prophets are not without honor, except in their hometown, and among their own kin, and in their own house." 6:5 And he could do no deed of power there, except that he laid his hands on a few sick people and cured them. 6:6 And he was amazed at their unbelief. Then he went about among the villages teaching. 6:7 He called the twelve and began to send them out two by two, and gave them authority over the unclean spirits. 6:8 He ordered them to take nothing for their journey except a staff; no bread, no bag, no money in their belts; 6:9 but to wear sandals and not to put on two tunics. 6:10 He said to them, "Wherever you enter a house, stay there until you leave the place. 6:11 If any place will not welcome you and they refuse to hear you, as you leave, shake off the dust that is on your feet as a testimony against them." 6:12 So they went out and proclaimed that all should repent. Saturday, July 7. 2018Summertime OldiesBeef, not on charcoal. Case in point: London BroilBurgers etc are great on charcoal. Cuts of beef, not so much in my opinion. Cast iron skillet with olive oil and butter is much better. London Broil (nothing to do with London, it seems) is a cut of top round. Inexpensive but very tasty hunk of cow. It is often recommended that it be marinated for hours. That's fine, but not really necessary. All you need to do is to coat it heavily with salt and pepper, and maybe a steak rub, and throw it in a full-heat frying pan. Three- five minutes on each side depending on its thickness. A good black crust on it. Let it rest 5-10 minutes, then slice against the grain, on a very sloping angle, as thin as you can with a good knife. While the meat is resting, throw some thick onion slices into the grease and oil and brown them. Maybe a few mushrooms too. Toss them on top of your slices, cut up a tomato, and dinner is served. In the photo, I feel even those slices are too thick- and not on enough of an angle either. When I say thin, I mean thin. Too thick slices can be like chewing gum. Very thin slices are great. Takes a good knife and a good knife-handler. Saturday morning links
Photo: Oyster farming beds in Wellfleet MA, at low tide. Damn wonderful. A record number of folks age 85 and older are working. Here's what they're doing. Beats watching TV and napping If America Is So Bad, Why Do They Keep Coming Here? To listen to open-borders advocates, left-wing journalists and Democrats in Congress, the U.S. is a hellhole of misery and bigotry Why New Jersey Is in Trouble if One Man Moves to Florida Millionaires Flee California After Tax Hike VDH: Imagine There’s No Border - A world without boundaries is a fantasy. Paul Manafort Spends 23 Hours a Day in Solitary Confinement Because of Mueller’s Thuggery What am I missing here? The men and women who went after Trump didn’t just cheat on their partners, they cheated on America WINNING AGAIN: Obama Saw WORST PAY GAINS Since Great Depression – Trump Sees GREATEST PAY GAINS Since Great Depression Dems blast jobs report Why Maxine Waters Is Going Crazy George Soros-funded NGO Citizens UK has launched a campaign demanding the Home Office extend the refugee resettlement scheme to every corner of Britain. It’s On: US, China Tariffs Take Effect In New Trade Negotiating tactics British Pub Renamed Trump Arms For Presidential Visit Friday, July 6. 2018Oldies WeekA song often considered to be a sign of maturity in a young Bob Dylan. "I realized I became my own enemy in the instant that I preached..." The discovery of humility, or something.
Friday morning linksMIDLIFE EXERCISE SIGNIFICANTLY CUTS LATE-LIFE DEPRESSION Terroir: The Myth of Wine Geology I Gave Up AC This Summer To Live Within My Means. America Should Try That. Voxsplaining Rural America Asian Americans Are The Tipping Point For Rejecting Affirmative Action Public housing: It Just Keeps Getting Worse How Dare You Not Feel Oppressed Journalism Is Not Activism I learned there that "comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable" was a facetious phrase from Mr. Dooley Scams are overwhelming the US asylum system It’s a rare Washington insider who behaves the way Pruitt did. VDH: The Left Can't Come To Grips With The Loss Of Power Sheesh Trump and Britain are a good match Thursday, July 5. 2018Oldies WeekExercise: Pushing through, and hitting true limitsWhether you are doing an hour of weights, calis, or HIIT cardio, I think most of us ordinary exercisers reach the point in a given effort when something says "OK, I'm done," but a better voice says (in my case) "Don't be a pussy - push through and do more." I find that self-insults work well for me, as do either insults or encouragement from others. Distance runners talk about hitting "the wall," but persisting through the wall and finding more energy on the other side. These experiences are both mental and physiological, having to do with the energy sources your muscles or your heart are using and the amount of power your body can enlist. Yesterday I did elliptical semi-HIIT, semi-long slow on the elliptical (because Wimbledon) on TV. When I do this on elliptical (always using arms too to make it full-body) I do 30-second sprints with 60-second slows, or for variety, I will keep a steady RPM pace while upping the resistance from 1 to 10, increasing every minute and then dropping back down the same way. After 35 minutes of low-resistance 30-second sprints, I was done. Or thought I was. I called myself a wimp, took a minute slow on level 1, and then got right back in the game to complete the hour going up and down the resistance levels. I have similar experiences in my calis classes. On the other hand, we all have real limits and it is amusing and educational to confront them in regular life and in physical exertion. Well, depressing too. All we have to do is to check whether it is a real limit or a mental determination speed bump. On my 5th set of deads this morning (increasing weight and decreasing reps for each set) I found I could not get 3 reps at 245. Genius trainer said "Quick, reset your grip and go again." I think I engaged all my will and force but the goddam thing felt glued to the floor. With a minute's rest, I could have done the third, but that's not the way it works. For you strong guys and gals, this would not be too difficult but I am not you. A fit, skinny, no-bulk gal I know does 3 reps of 300. She is only 35, though. I think it was a true physical limit at that point in my dead routine, because I engage everything so as not to disappoint my trainer's expectations and demands. However, for that moment, I am fairly confident that I was done. Sucks to disappoint a mentor. When I think about it, I most frequently encounter genuine limits in jump rope and in pull-ups. Also, the sprints on the combat bike. Even the f-word just doesn't help at all. I wonder how our readers feel when things go from manageable to tough to hard to painful to walls to breakthoughs to actually confronting real limitations. Thursday morning links
How Not To Be Boring San Francisco’s Appalling Street Life Repels Residents… Now It’s Driven Away A Medical Convention San Francisco is Becoming the Model Progressive City and it’s Sad Trump and the Founders' Vision No Virgins in the Gray Lady's Whorehouse The New York Times Comes Out Against Free Speech Against your free speech, not theirs AFFIRMATIVE ACTION TODAY ICE-melters should study facts on illegal immigrants Jon Stewart Urges Democrats to "Beat" Trump With Ideas-- There's Just One Problem Dems fear Trump is becoming a successful President PRESIDENT TRUMP Tops Obama in Approval Numbers at Same Point in His Presidency Sheesh. The press loved Obama Parents Furious As UK Secondary Schools Ban Skirts To "Accommodate" Trans Students Wednesday, July 4. 2018About the Declaration there is a finality that is exceedingly restful..Oldies Week: "Have a drink, have a drive, go out and see what you can find..."Stoner song, 1970.
4th of July at ye olde New England gymMan, was the place packed this morning. The calis classes were packed, the yoga classes, the cycle classes, and the running classes (actually, HIIT sprinting classes). The work-out floor was packed too. Saw people I haven't seen in years. Wonderful, like a party. I like the place when it's quiet, but when it's full the energy level rises for everybody, like a contagion. Great way for us to spend an hour or two in the morning on a hot holiday, especially with blasting a/c and Wimbledon in the TV. Vanessa is 38! I think we'll grab a kayak (and a beer) this afternoon to complete a perfect holiday. God bless America. (For my fellow exercise people, all I did was 5 sets of pull-ups - actually, 1 set of pull-ups and then 5 sets of "hangs." Hangs strengthen your pull-ups. Jump your chest to the bar with overhand grip and your elbows at your side, then hang as long as you can. You get remarkable arm vibration, and watch your lats and arms slowly give way until they give out. Count the seconds. Then I did just 60 mins of elliptical cardio with Wimbledon because I do heavy weight tomorrow morning and because I love tennis.) Wednesday morning links - Happy 4th
The Gadsden flag was a revolutionary battle flag dating to around 1775. The Stars and Stripes dates to around 1792. Why your summer might be full of mosquitoes, according to a scientists FDA approves country’s first medicine made from marijuana Walmart Faces Boycott After Outcry Over “Impeach 45” T-Shirts and Baby Onesies 'Anti-bias' training not enough for Starbucks – advisers say 'civil rights audit' is next The Left Steps Up Its Infatuation With the Political 'Wisdom' of Kids Vaunted Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is damaged goods now Faux ghetto My Martha’s Vineyard Friends Have Shunned Me For Defending Trump They are not friends New York Times: Hey, Let's Kill The First Amendment. It's Helping Conservatives Too Much. The Court: Restraint vs. Originalism The 'Janus' Decision Is a Victory Decades in the Making In Newly Revealed Secret Memo, Congress’ Top Cop Said House Democratic Server Vanished Stranger and stranger Good News: Trump Rescinds Obama’s ‘Affirmative Action’ Guidance Ben Shapiro drops the HAMMER on Kamala Harris after she SNAPS at White House over her ‘record’
Backfire: Trump soars 5 points in IBD-TIPP poll after Democrats go rabid Iran: Cloudy with a Chance of Jewish Conspiracies Istanbul Police Shoot Rubber Bullets and Tear Gas — And Sic Dogs on Gay Pride Marchers in Istanbul Tuesday, July 3. 2018Oldie but goldie: End of the LineOnly 2 guys from this fun group are alive now. Very sad.
DataismTuesday morning linksPhoto stolen from Ace , whose Morning Reports tend to be amusing How Central Park was saved An Abandoned Mansion In NYC Raises Questions The Economics of Renaissance Art Those artists wanted to get rich Open Relationships Just as Satisfying as Monogamous Ones, U of G Study Reveals Dirtbags Steal Life Savings Of America’s Oldest Veteran, 112-Year-Old Richard Overton Vaping Can Help Smokers Quit, If Lawmakers Allow It Harvey Weinstein now facing LIFE in prison after Manhattan DA files new charges related to the 'rape and sexual abused' of a third woman in 2006 Big Trouble Banning plastic straws is more scam than science Jordan Peterson Rallies Portlandia’s Dissidents Powerline: ACADEMIC ABSURDITY OF . . . MAYBE ALL TIME Tim Scott: The Republican Party’s Joyful Warrior Bill Gates Praises GOP-Led Congress, Says World ‘Far Better Place’ Than Ever Before Everything free in America A Dem fight over Amy Barrett’s Catholicism may be just what Trump wants She is a serious Catholic, with small group team and spiritual advisors. I thought only Protestants did that. Mass immigration has destroyed hopes of a borderless society - Those who denounced as crazy Trump’s campaign promise to build a wall did not appreciate how popular such a policy would be, nor how common. Donald Trump's mainstream immigration policy Black Support For Trump Is Rising Into The Danger Zone For Democrats Democrats can kiss swing voters goodbye with progressive ballot CHRIS MATTHEWS URGES COMMUNIST REVOLUTION TO STOP SUPREME COURT Maxine Waters And Democrats’ Angry Mobs Will Hurt At The Polls #WalkAway Movement Gains Momentum as People Leave the Democrat Party in Droves Trump is Winning Over Blacks, Hispanics, Millennials, and Even Gays Schlichter: Never Trumpers Suffer Yet Another Utter Humiliation Western Civilization Is Drowning in Guilt Not me Angela Merkel on brink as interior minister Seehofer says he will resign over migrant deal Why Turkey Will Not Be Another Iran How a victorious Bashar al-Assad is changing Syria - Sunnis have been pushed out by the war. The new Syria is smaller, in ruins and more sectarian Monday, July 2. 2018It must be Oldies Holiday WeekFrom my Lefty sister...
...who works in the mental health field: "You assumed I would hate Jordan Peterson? Wrong. I just finished his book. He is so clear and common-sensical that he's helped me see my own life in a different light, not to mention my work with clients. It's so easy to get fogged over with details and complexities and daily crap that we lose sight of the basics."
Monday morning links
Iguana tastes like chicken AP Investigation: Buying Local Fish? It May Not Be True - An Associated Press investigation has found that a leading sustainable seafood distributor who pledged wild-caught, domestic fish traceable to a dock has duped U.S. chefs. No wild seafood is sustainable today Charles Krauthammer’s Quiet Contribution to Our Understanding of Bipolar Disease Feminists Invent Concept of 'Emotional Labor' to Blame Men for Everything Lazy-ass men and lazy-ass women are equivalent problems NEW REPORT: RECYCLING PLASTIC IS MAKING OCEAN LITTER WORSE VIDEO Uncovered Trump Interview From Over 25 Years Ago Will Shock A Lot of People Bill Bennett, Karen Nussle: Supreme Court's Janus decision could change everything for our schools and kids Notes From a Poor People’s Protest. Feature: In a summer of reboots, an MLK original rallies again Another Bill To Make Puerto Rico A State Better idea - make them a nation. Why not? Why Did DOJ And FBI Ignore Lack Of Evidence For Russiagate? They Fell In Love With Their Source Democrats Are Making A Big Mistake On Immigration Begala: Democrats are about to fight like crazy For no borders? America the Horrible? Progressives say that the United States is racist and misogynist, but they still want everyone in the world to come here. The generic editorial against Trump's next pick The Difference Justice Gorsuch Has Made Enough Moping’: Obama Tells Democrats To Forget Trump, Find A Message No borders and everything free. That's the message Abolish ICE? Not So Fast, Says Congressional Hispanic Caucus Like it or not, Trump is a man of his word The Left needs to face reality: Trump is winning Is Trump the Most Fun President Ever? Why Britain's Deradicalization Programs Are Failing Religion of peace Sunday, July 1. 2018Victor D Hanson Perfectly Breaks Down FBI Trump/Russia Debacle "Who's The Real Friend Of Russia"Another wonderful VDH interview (brief annoying ad in the middle).
Staying Fit on Vacation
Pic is my medicine ball on our Cape Cod driveway. Garbage cans out - a decorative touch. If you have invested time, money, sweat, and tears into a fitness regimen, it is depressing to learn that your level of conditioning will deteriorate measurably within 7-10 days if all you do is walk around for hours. Many people go for morning jogs but there are plenty of other morning calisthenics that can be done anywhere. I have done it all, in hotel gyms, in the sandy driveway on Cape Cod, and elsewhere all over the place. Even in Maine. A light protein and banana shake after. There is no more invigorating way to begin an active day outdoors. One observation: We Americans are fitness nuts by comparison to the rest of the world. It's cultural and, to some extent, class-related We (frequently) overweight Americans try to stay fit and vigorous until something strikes us down. In Europe, not much. In Asia, very little. How often do you see gyms or street runners in those places? An exception might be Switzerland, where I am told gyms are sprouting up on every corner in every town. Especially in Zurich, or course, because Zurich is like a mini-NYC but without the charm. For a business meeting, a business speech, or a job interview, there is nothing like an hour of calis to prepare. A few ideas below the fold -
Continue reading "Staying Fit on Vacation"
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